The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and hip disorders, as they are claimed to be secondary to a service-connected L1 vertebrae fracture. The Veteran's assertions include both that the conditions are related to the in-service fall and that they are due to normal progression of degenerative joint disease.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not provide sufficient opinions regarding whether the bilateral knee and hip disorders are secondary to the service-connected L1 vertebrae fracture or if they were caused by an in-service fall.
- Claimed conditions
- arthralgia and chondromalacia of the knees, degenerative joint disease of the hips
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18105689
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 18105689.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding private treatment records and the need for medical opinions regarding his heart disability, peptic ulcer disease, and gastritis.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and secondary service connection were denied. The RO found that the Veteran's right knee, left hip, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities are not shown to be related to his service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the hips and back is being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an examination and additional medical records, as well as clarification on the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hip condition.
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