The Board remands the claims for a new examination and opinions to allow the Board to fully adjudicate the entitlement to service connection claims for the left knee and right knee.
The deciding factor: The VA examination noted that the Veteran's bilateral knee condition began in 2017, but the medical history section of the report indicates that the Veteran reported a knee condition as early as 2005. The Board finds it necessary to obtain a new examination and opinion considering the Veteran's bilateral knee condition, including as due to in-service toxic exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee tendonitis, status post total arthroplasty, right knee tendonitis, status post total arthroplasty
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 3, 2025
- Citation
- 25008781
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 bilateral flat foot (pes planus) to include plantar fasciitis, intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis, and right knee tendonitis. Bilateral hearing loss was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic rhinitis, allergic or non-allergic and urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control) as there was insufficient evidence to establish a causal link between the claimed conditions and the Veteran's military service. The remaining claims were remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for left and right knee tendonitis as the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of bilateral knee tendonitis during the pendency of the claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee tendonitis, right lower extremity sciatica, left lower extremity sciatica, and acne as further development is needed to determine their etiology.
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