The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for a separate 30 percent rating for right knee meniscal tear, status post arthroscopy with chondromalacia patella and limited extension due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining relevant records from Holmes Lake Family Medicine.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the need to obtain additional medical records that may have evidence of an earlier increase in the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee meniscal tear, status post arthroscopy with chondromalacia patella and limited extension
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2025
- Citation
- A25041331
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 disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee meniscal tear with degenerative arthritis and granted a separate 20 percent rating for right knee instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a higher rating for right knee strain to ensure that the estimated range of motion provided for repeated use over time and during flare-ups is sufficient for rating purposes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a retrospective opinion regarding the severity of the Veteran's right knee disability during flare-ups and an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's right knee strain is directly related to his service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes, bilateral hearing loss, a right knee scar, chronic fatigue syndrome, an upper respiratory disability, a left leg neurological disability, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for a right knee meniscal tear.
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.