Citation Nr: 21068196 Decision Date: 11/09/21 Archive Date: 11/09/21 DOCKET NO. 20-07 329 DATE: November 9, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for a right knee disability, including as secondary to a left knee disability, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from November 1979 to November 1983. The Veteran died in September 2020; the Regional Office (RO) subsequently recognized his widow as an eligible substitute claimant in the appeal. See 38 U.S.C. § 5121A. Entitlement to a Right Knee Disability is Remanded Prior to the Veteran's death, in May 2019, the Board remanded the appeal for an examination in order to determine whether the Veteran's right knee disability was related to service. In that remand, the Board noted that the Veteran was afforded a VA examination in December 2017 at which time right knee arthritis was confirmed and a history of a 1983 right knee hyperextension was discussed, which the examiner noted as a right knee strain. Regrettably the Veteran passed away before the requested development could be accomplished. The Board cannot make a fully informed decision on the issue of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability because no VA examiner has opined whether the Veteran's right knee disability is related to his active service. Thus, the Veteran's claims file should be provided to an examiner for a medical opinion. The Board by this remand makes no determination, expressed or implied, concerning the credibility of any statements on file. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Provide the claims file to an appropriate clinician to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right knee arthritis. The person writing the opinion is asked to address whether it at least as likely as not a right knee disability (1) began during active service, (2) manifested within one year after discharge from service, or (3) was noted during service with continuity of the same symptomatology since service or (4) was at least as likely as not proximately due to his service-connected left knee disability or aggravated by that service-connected disability. (Continued on the next page) 2. A thorough rationale with reference to the claims file should be provided in explaining the conclusion expressed. KELLI A. KORDICH Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board G. Slovick, Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.