The Board remands the claims for a higher disability rating for degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, as well as for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees due to inadequate VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The April 2021 examination reports are found to be inadequate because they do not provide estimated range of motion during flare-ups or after repeated use over time, which is required by the VA Clinician's Guide.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease and intervertebral disc syndrome of the lumbar spine, Degenerative arthritis of the right knee, Degenerative arthritis of the left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25022712
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 a separate 10 percent rating for right knee instability but denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the right knee.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for limitation of flexion and in excess of 10 percent for limitation of extension of the right knee due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the ameliorative effects of medication on the Veteran's condition.
- Denied
The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's knee and cervical spine disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right and left knees, but remanded the issue of a low back disability for further development.
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