Secondary claim

[Combat eng]

How do I show that the failure of my right knee was caused by the injury I sustain to my left knee. I injured my left knee during a bridging accident in Bosnia in 2001. I had Surgery to fix the damage in 2002 at Fort Gordon. It was never the same and got worse causing me to put more weight on my right knee. In 2010 the VA sent me to have orthocopic surgery on both knees and they assigned a 10% rating to my left knee but nothing for the right knee. In 2018 the VA replaced both knees and assigned a final 30% rating for the left knee only. What options do I have as I was denied a secondary claim?

[pacmanx1]

1 hour ago, Combat eng said:

How do I show that the failure of my right knee was caused by the injury I sustain to my left knee. I injured my left knee during a bridging accident in Bosnia in 2001. I had Surgery to fix the damage in 2002 at Fort Gordon. It was never the same and got worse causing me to put more weight on my right knee. In 2010 the VA sent me to have orthocopic surgery on both knees and they assigned a 10% rating to my left knee but nothing for the right knee. In 2018 the VA replaced both knees and assigned a final 30% rating for the left knee only. What options do I have as I was denied a secondary claim?

Combat, this is common sense to everyone but the VA will not grant service connection unless you get a medical opinion that states that it is as least likely as not cause by or the result of your service connected condition and then give a good medical rationale of how the conditions are related. You can file all the claims and supplemental but that is what the VA wants. Even with some medical opinions (IMO/IME) the VA may fight your claim.  (IMO/IME) are Independent Medical Opinion and Independent Medical Examination. The difference is with the IMO the doctor will review your medical records both in service and post service and write his/her medical opinion and a rationale.  The IME is the same except the physician would also examine you before writing his/her opinion.

[ShuMan]

I would recommend an IMO along with a solid personal statement.