Citation Nr: 18146145 Decision Date: 10/30/18 Archive Date: 10/30/18 DOCKET NO. 16-38 290 DATE: October 30, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder is remanded. Entitlement to a compensable evaluation for a right knee disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Air Force from November 2011 to September 2013. This case comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from rating decisions by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Petersburg, Florida. 1. Entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder is remanded. Although the Veteran was afforded a VA examination in connection with his service connection claim in November 2014, the examiner based his conclusion that the Veteran’s left knee-related complaints were less likely than not etiologically related to service on his assessment that the Veteran was not beset by any diagnosed left knee disability. VA treatment records subsequently entered into the record reveal the Veteran has received a current diagnosis of chondromalacia of the left patella. As such, the Board finds a new examination is warranted to consider whether the Veteran’s diagnosed left knee disability bears any etiological relationship to service, as he has claimed. 2. Entitlement to a compensable evaluation for a right knee disability is remanded. The Veteran’s right knee disability was most recently evaluated at a November 2014 VA examination. Nearly four years having passed since the examination was performed, and the Veteran having claimed worsening symptoms in the interim, the Board finds a new examination is necessary to explore the current nature and manifestations of the Veteran’s right knee disability. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Identify and obtain any outstanding VA and private treatment records that are not already associated with the claims file. 2. Then, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to explore the etiology of his left knee disorder. Any and all studies, tests, and evaluations deemed necessary by the examiner should be performed. The examiner is requested to review all pertinent records associated with the claims file, including the Veteran’s service treatment records, post-service medical records, and assertions. The examiner should note that the Veteran is competent to attest to matters of which he has first-hand knowledge, including observable symptomatology. If there is a medical basis to support or doubt the history provided by the appellant, the examiner should provide a fully reasoned explanation. The examiner should opine as to whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran has a current left knee disorder, and whether any such disorder is related to his military service, to include any symptomatology therein. 3. Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the nature and severity of his service-connected right knee disabilities. The electronic file must be made available to the examiner, and the examination report must reflect that such review occurred. All tests and studies deemed necessary must be performed. All pertinent symptomatology and findings should be reported in detail in accordance with VA rating criteria. The examination should be conducted in accordance with the current disability benefits questionnaires or examination worksheets applicable to the knees. Range of motion in active motion, passive motion, weight-bearing, and nonweight-bearing, for the joints in question and any paired joint must be conducted. If the examiner is unable to conduct the required testing or concludes that the required testing is not necessary in this case, he or she should clearly explain why that is so. The rationale for all opinions expressed must be provided. (Continued on the next page)   4. After completing the above development, and any other development deemed necessary, readjudicate the issue on appeal. If any benefit remains denied, a supplemental statement of the case must be provided to the Veteran and his representative. After they have had an adequate opportunity to respond, the appeal must be returned to the Board for appellate review. GAYLE STROMMEN Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD Z. Sahraie, Associate Counsel