The Board has determined that the claims must be remanded to correct a duty to assist error, as there is insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's knee conditions during the period on appeal. The claim for DEA benefits prior to August 27, 2024, remains inextricably intertwined with these issues.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that the current rating decisions are incomplete due to a lack of adequate VA examinations or medical opinions addressing the severity of the Veteran's knee conditions during the period on appeal. The claims for higher ratings and effective dates must be remanded to obtain such evaluations.
- Claimed conditions
- Right knee joint osteoarthritis (flexion), Left knee joint osteoarthritis (flexion), Meniscal tear with osteoarthritis, left knee (instability), Osteoarthritis, right knee (extension), Osteoarthritis, left knee (extension)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26018037
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 A26018037.
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.
- Denied
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- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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