Citation Nr: 21012901 Decision Date: 03/05/21 Archive Date: 03/05/21 DOCKET NO. 14-31 702A DATE: March 5, 2021 REMANDED Service connection for a right knee disorder. Service connection for a left knee disorder. REASONS FOR REMAND The Board denied the appeals in October 2019. The Veteran appealed to the Veterans Claims Court. In September 2020, the Court Clerk granted a Joint Motion for Partial Remand (JMPR), which vacated the October 2019 Board decision and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with the motion. The JMPR directed that the Veteran’s treatment records from the 374th Medical Group Hospital at Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, from 1997, as well as all outstanding VA treatment records, to include treatment for his knees in 2011, be obtained. Therefore, a remand to obtain these records is required. Further, the JMPR indicated that the December 2012 VA examination was inadequate as the examiner did not consider or address the Veteran’s lay statements regarding continuation of knee pain and swelling since service. Therefore, on remand an addendum opinion should be obtained. The matters are REMANDED for the following actions: 1. Undertake all appropriate development efforts to obtain all of the Veteran’s treatment records from the 374th Medical Group Hospital at Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, to specifically include orthopedic and physical therapy records from 1997 showing a diagnosis of patellofemoral syndrome. 2. Undertake all appropriate development efforts to obtain all outstanding VA treatment records, to include records from 2011 which show physical therapy treatment for the Veteran’s knees. If any of the Federal government records listed above cannot be located, document the specific attempts that were made to locate them and explain in writing why further attempts to locate or obtain any Federal government records would be futile. Then do the following: (a) notify the claimant of the specific records that could not be obtained; (b) explain the efforts VA has made to obtain the evidence; and (c) describe any further action VA will take with respect to the claim. The claimant must then be given the opportunity to respond. 3. Thereafter, direct the claims file, to include a copy of this remand, as well as any of the above-listed records obtained on remand, to a clinician to obtain an addendum medical opinion. The clinician should review the claims file and provide an opinion as to the following: • whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that the Veteran’s right and/or left knee disorders are causally or etiologically related to service, to include the inservice knee injuries, complaints of knee pain and findings of left patellofemoral syndrome, bilateral patellar tendonitis, right knee calcium build-up (X-rays), and resolving tendonitis (as noted in the service treatment records). In rendering the above opinions, the clinician must consider the Veteran’s report of ongoing bilateral knee symptoms (pain and swelling) since service. 4. If the clinician determines that an examination is necessary in order to provide the requested opinions, then one should be scheduled. L. HOWELL Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board E. Redman, 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.