The Board has remanded the claims for right hip disorder, left hip disorder, bilateral leg swelling disorder, and SMC due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's attorney waived review of new evidence in the AOJ. Additional VA examinations are needed to determine the cause and nature of the Veteran’s current right and left hip disorders and bilateral leg swelling disorders.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the medical opinions provided by the VA examiner were inadequate, as they did not address whether the Veteran's current hip and leg swelling disorders were caused or aggravated by his service-connected IVDS with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The Board also noted that the claim for SMC is inextricably intertwined with the claims for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hip Disorder, Left Hip Disorder, Bilateral Leg Swelling Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 12, 2018
- Citation
- 18134109
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 18134109.
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 claims of service connection for right and left hip disorders due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining an adequate nexus opinion prior to the June 2021 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly regarding his shoulder disorders and nasal surgeries. The claims for service connection have been remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for a left hip disorder and hearing loss, but has remanded the claim for COPD due to potential errors in the decision-making process.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip disorder, joint pain disorder, and right shoulder disorder due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board finds that the VA examinations are insufficient in addressing the Veteran's reported symptoms of continuous pain since service.
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.