The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis and right knee ACL reconstruction are remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the July 2020 VA examination.
The deciding factor: The July 2020 VA examination was inadequate as it did not account for the ameliorative effects of medication on the Veteran's symptoms, which could affect functional loss and range of motion.
- Claimed conditions
- right knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis, right knee ACL reconstruction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26007441
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 A26007441.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and higher evaluations for service-connected right knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis and left knee osteoarthritis.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected right knee injuries do not qualify for a higher rate of educational assistance benefits under Chapter 33 due to the discharge being from the U.S. Army Reserve, not 30 continuous days of creditable active duty service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his right knee disability was dismissed because the VA Form 10182, which is required to file a substantive appeal, was not timely filed.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right hip osteoarthritis, left knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis, right knee posttraumatic osteoarthritis, and right wrist degenerative arthritis. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service MOS as a survival instructor and associated injuries from parachute jumps.
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