Citation Nr: 21023833 Decision Date: 04/21/21 Archive Date: 04/21/21 DOCKET NO. 16-27 626 DATE: April 21, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder, as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from November 1982 to November 1985. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a January 2015 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office (RO), which denied the Veteran’s claim for service connection for a left knee disability, as secondary to the Veteran’s service-connected right knee disability. The Board remanded the matter in March 2019. Unfortunately, the matter must be remanded again. As an initial matter, the Board has interpreted the May 2020 statement from the Veteran as a motion for advancement on the docket. This motion is granted. Entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition, as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability is remanded. The Veteran was provided a VA examination for his left knee in November 2019, in accordance with the Board’s March 2019 remand. The remand requested that the examiner provide an opinion as to whether the Veteran’s left knee disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. The examiner provided an opinion regarding causation but failed to provide a rationale as to aggravation. The development requested in the Board’s most recent remand has not been sufficiently accomplished. See Stegall v. West, 11 Vet. App. 268 (1998) (holding where the remand orders of the Board are not fully implemented, the Board itself errs in failing to ensure compliance). The Veteran has also raised issues with the opinion, noting that the examiner incorrectly identified the amount of time the Veteran had worked in security, and had used that information to support his conclusion. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain an addendum opinion regarding the nature, onset, and etiology of the Veteran’s left knee disability. Provide the Veteran’s entire claims file to an appropriate evaluator. Special attention should be paid to the Veteran’s lay statements of record, including his statements that his left knee condition has worsened due to his right knee disability. The evaluator should also review the May 2020 statement regarding the Veteran’s employment history. The evaluator should provide an opinion as to Whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s left knee disability is caused by his service-connected right knee disability. Whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s left knee disability is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. A complete rationale must be provided for all opinions presented. 2. After completing the above actions, to include any other development as may be indicated by any response received as a consequence of the actions taken in the preceding paragraphs, the Veteran’s claim should be readjudicated based on the entirety of the evidence. S. Sorathia Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board V. Geer, Associate 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.