The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right wrist, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of recent VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The last VA examination was conducted over ten years ago, and there is an indication that the Veteran may have bilateral knee instability. The new regulations also require updated treatment records and a reassessment of his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals, scaphoid fracture, right wrist, s/p open reduction internal fixation, right knee disability (chondromalacia), left knee disability (chondromalacia)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2023
- Citation
- 23005018
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 23005018.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability based on limitation of flexion and granted a separate 10 percent rating, but no higher, for instability of the right knee. The Board also granted a separate 20 percent rating for chondromalacia patella and patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee with chronic pain and recurrent episodes of locking and effusion or swelling.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee disability, left foot disability, and right foot disability. The lumbar spine disability was granted a 20% rating but not in excess of that.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected left knee disabilities caused him to become obese and if his right knee disability would not have occurred but for obesity.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's kidney cysts are related to his military service and specifically Gulf War Syndrome.,The Veteran's right knee disability is related to service or a service-connected foot condition.,The Veteran's left elbow disability (tendonitis) is related to service.,The Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to service.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is related to service and his service-connected feet.,The Veteran's lung disability is not likely due to environmental exposure in Southwest Asia, but may be related to Gulf War Syndrome or undiagnosed illness.,The Veteran's headaches are of unknown etiology, possibly related to chemical exposure in service.,The Veteran's disability of the left upper extremity (intermittent numbness) is related to a military injury and/or his service-connected feet.,The Veteran's disability of the right upper extremity (intermittent numbness) is related to a military injury and/or his service-connected feet.
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