The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral knee and lumbar spine disabilities and his service-connected bilateral pes planus. The Veteran is requested to undergo a VA examination to determine if there is any aggravation of these conditions by his service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the previous opinions were inadequate as they did not address the correct standard for secondary service connection, which requires consideration of whether the service-connected condition permanently aggravated another or opposite uninjured joint beyond its natural progression.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee arthritis with patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee arthritis with patellofemoral pain syndrome, lumbar spine degenerative lumbar spine disease
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 19, 2022
- Citation
- 22029833
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 22029833.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his left and right knee disabilities have been dismissed as he has withdrawn the appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with a ganglion cyst, left knee arthritis with patellofemoral pain syndrome, and tinea versicolor are granted service connection.,Issues related to the left ankle collateral ligament strain, essential hypertension, dyshidrotic eczematous dermatitis, and effective dates for these conditions remain pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
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