Citation Nr: 21012033 Decision Date: 03/03/21 Archive Date: 03/03/21 DOCKET NO. 17-59 074 DATE: March 3, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from September 1986 to July 1990. This case comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from May and September 2016 rating decisions by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In September 2020, the Veteran testified at a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge. A transcript of the hearing is of record. Entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease (DJD), is remanded. The Veteran asserts his left knee condition was caused by his military service. Specifically, he states his DJD is related to his service-connected right ankle and right knee conditions. In the alternative, he ascribes his left knee condition directly to injuries sustained in service. The Board observes that the September 2016 VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s left knee condition was not incurred in, or otherwise related to service. However, the examiner did not address or discuss if his left knee condition was related to, to include aggravated by, his service-connected right ankle and right knee disabilities. Therefore, as the Veteran has a diagnosed left knee condition and the record reflects it may be related to his service-connected disabilities, the Board finds this opinion is inadequate to adjudicate his claim. See Nieves-Peake, 22 Vet. App. 295 (2008); Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303, 312 (2007). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Invite the Veteran to submit any additional evidence in support of his appeal. 2. Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran’s left knee disability is at least as likely as not related to another a service-connected disability. The examiner should specifically address and discuss whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s left knee condition was caused and/or aggravated (i.e., worsened beyond its natural progression) by his service-connected right ankle and right knee disabilities. A copy of the claims file should be provided to the examiner for review. The examiner should provide the rationale for all opinions rendered. If the examiner cannot provide any of the requested opinions without resorting to speculation, he or she should provide an explanation stating why this is so. 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. B.T. KNOPE Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board T. McDonald