Citation Nr: 22017679 Decision Date: 03/25/22 Archive Date: 03/25/22 DOCKET NO. 19-02 608 DATE: March 25, 2022 REMANDED Entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for patella femoral syndrome, right knee, is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from September 1996 to September 2000. The Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in November 2021. Entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for patella femoral syndrome, right knee The Veteran was most recently provided with a VA knee examination in October 2018. The Veteran testified at the November 2021 Board hearing that his right knee disability has worsened since the October 2018 VA examination as he now has swelling and instability in his right knee. Accordingly, the Board finds that the Veteran should be provided an opportunity to report for a VA examination to ascertain the current severity and manifestations of his right knee disability. 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(c)(4). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Contact the Veteran in order to have him identify the names and addresses of all health care providers who have treated him for the issues on appeal. The Veteran should also be notified that he may submit evidence or treatment records to support his claim. The Board is particularly interested any outstanding records of VA medical treatment (generated after the last treatment notes of record). The AOJ should attempt to obtain any such records. All efforts to obtain such records should be documented in the claims folder. All available records should be associated with the Veteran's VA claims folder. 2. Schedule the Veteran for an examination by an appropriate clinician to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee disability. The examiner should provide a full description of the disability and report all signs and symptoms necessary for evaluating the Veteran's disability under the rating criteria. In so doing, the examiner must test the Veteran's active motion, passive motion, and pain with weight-bearing and without weight-bearing. If it is not possible to provide a specific measurement without speculation, the examiner must state whether the need to speculate is due to a deficiency in the state of general medical knowledge (no one could respond given medical science and the known facts), a deficiency in the record (additional facts are required), or the examiner (does not have the knowledge or training). In so doing, the examiner must attempt to elicit information regarding the severity, frequency, and duration of any flare-ups, and the degree of functional loss during flare-ups. If it is not possible to provide a specific measurement based on direct observation, the examiner should provide an estimate, if at all possible, of the additional impairment due to flare-ups based on the other evidence of record and the Veteran's statements. If it is not possible to provide a specific measurement without speculation, the examiner must state whether the need to speculate is due to a deficiency in the state of general medical knowledge (no one could respond given medical science and the known facts), a deficiency in the record (additional facts are required), or the examiner (does not have the knowledge or training). M. Donohue Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board S. Morrad, 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.