The Board remands the claim for an addendum medical opinion addressing the ameliorative effects of medication on the Veteran's range of motion during a specific period.
The deciding factor: The need to remand is due to recent caselaw requiring that beneficial medication effects be discounted when assigning an evaluation, necessitating additional evidence regarding the Veteran's range of motion without such effects.
- Claimed conditions
- patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2025
- Citation
- 25004622
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 increased ratings for the Veteran's knee conditions, except for a 10% rating for left and right knee instability effective from October 1, 2008.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate disability rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the left knee with limitation of extension from October 1, 2008 to August 11, 2017, but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent during that same period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for increased ratings for the Veteran's service-connected conditions are being remanded to provide him an additional opportunity to undergo VA examinations.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.