The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, specifically regarding a VA medical opinion on whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the right knee is related to service-connected chondromalacia and proximal patellar tendinosis of the left knee. The Board also needs another VA medical opinion addressing chronic presumptions and direct service connection.
The deciding factor: The decision was remanded due to duty-to-assist errors, specifically regarding a VA medical opinion on secondary service connection and chronic presumptions.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2026
- Citation
- A26002112
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26002112.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right knee is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied, as well as the claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder, left knee, and right knee due to inadequate VA examinations in August 2020 and January 2021.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, right knee, and left knee as secondary to the right knee.
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