The Board remands the issues of entitlement to higher initial disability ratings for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, as well as a higher rating for degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine prior to May 9, 2016.
The deciding factor: Remand is necessary due to incomplete medical opinions that failed to address the severity and functional effects of the Veteran's service-connected conditions without the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2025
- Citation
- 25006002
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 granted service connection for rhinorrhea and denied initial compensable evaluations for headaches and left knee disability, while remanding the claim for a respiratory disorder.
- Granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee instability, and separate 40 percent rating for right knee limitation of extension prior to July 27, 2019.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent rating for lumbosacral strain and denied or remanded the other issues on appeal.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew all pending appeals on April 28, 2025.
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