The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for avascular necrosis of both hips due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the hip conditions are proximately due or aggravated by steroid medications used to treat sinusitis.
The deciding factor: The previous medical opinions did not adequately consider the entire history of the Veteran's steroid use and alcoholism, which may have affected his avascular necrosis development.
- Claimed conditions
- avascular necrosis left hip, avascular necrosis right hip
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2018
- Citation
- 18110429
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 18110429.
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 avascular necrosis left hip, right foot pain, and left foot pain are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection is also granted for right ankle sprain, left ankle arthralgia, right shoulder pain, lumbago (lower back pain), and systolic heart murmur. Service connection for abnormal skin pigmentation and OSA (sleep apnea) is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine arthritis is aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is granted as service connected due to his fear of hostile military activity during his Vietnam service.
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