The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for instability in both knees due to a lack of consideration of certain evidence and potential VA medical records.
The deciding factor: The decision was not fully compliant with the modernized review system, specifically regarding the effects of medication on rating criteria and the use of prescribed knee braces.
- Claimed conditions
- instability, left knee, instability, right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26020167
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 A26020167.
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 higher initial ratings for the Veteran's left thigh and left knee conditions but granted separate 10 percent ratings for limitation of flexion, left knee, and instability, left knee. The Board also granted an 80 percent rating from April 26, 2021, for left thigh amputation.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia was granted a rating of 10 percent, while other knee conditions and scars were denied higher ratings. TDIU was also granted.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and higher ratings for knee conditions were denied, but a separate evaluation of 10 percent for right knee instability was granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and basic eligibility for Dependents' and Educational Assistance benefits prior to March 9, 2022. The AOJ is directed to consider these claims under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) for extraschedular TDIU.
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