The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's service connection claims, including verification of his duty status during the alleged in-service injuries and obtaining VA treatment records.
The deciding factor: Additional evidence is required to substantiate the Veteran's service connection claims due to uncertainty regarding his duty status at the time of the alleged in-service injuries and incomplete medical history documentation.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic arthritis of the left knee, osteoarthritis of the right hip, residuals of left femur fracture with left hip arthritis, degenerative hypertrophic disc disease of the lumbosacral spine, degenerative hypertrophic disc disease of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2009
- Citation
- 0945856
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 0945856.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hip disabilities, together with his service-connected residuals of left ankle fracture, resulted in the loss of use of his bilateral lower extremities and affected the functions of his balance and propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of crutches, a walker, or a cane. The Board has granted entitlement to a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing (SAH).
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hip disabilities, together with his service-connected residuals of left ankle fracture, resulted in the loss of use of his bilateral lower extremities and affected the functions of his balance and propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of crutches, a walker, or a cane. The Board has granted entitlement to a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing (SAH).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and notification issues. The AOJ must obtain addendum medical opinions addressing whether the Veteran's back, hip, and leg disabilities are directly related to his active service or secondary to a previously service-connected condition.
- Granted
The Board granted eligibility for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in an August 2024 rating decision.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.