The veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected bilateral hip disorder, which the RO has already granted at 20 percent. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to determine the current severity of the condition and whether separate ratings are warranted.
The deciding factor: Further examination is needed to clarify the diagnosis and severity of the veteran's bilateral hip disability.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic bilateral hip pain, probable avascular necrosis versus tendonitis with degenerative changes of the right hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 15, 2000
- Citation
- 0015856
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0015856.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an additional examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bone, muscle, or joint disabilities, as well as any hand, shoulder, arm, and hip diagnoses. The examiner is asked to consider the Veteran's reports of pain throughout the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for aching of muscles, bones, and joints as due to in-service exposure to herbicides is remanded. The Board finds that an addendum opinion is needed to address the nature and etiology of his diagnosed conditions, including pain-related disabilities.
- Denied
The VA determined that the veteran's bilateral hip disability, characterized by chronic pain and degenerative changes, does not warrant a rating higher than the current 20 percent.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic low back pain, bilateral hip pain, and right knee pain are not service-connected as manifestations of an undiagnosed illness due to his active duty in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War. The preponderance of evidence shows these conditions have been attributed to known clinical diagnoses.
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