The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations of her bilateral knees and hips. The examinations should be conducted during a flare-up if possible.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new VA examinations are needed as per the recent court decision in Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) to address the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to knee and hip disabilities, including assessing functional loss during flare-ups and repetitive use.
- Claimed conditions
- Chondromalacia of the right knee, Right knee laxity, Chondromalacia of the left knee, Left knee laxity, Right hip strain, Left hip strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2018
- Citation
- 18147266
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 18147266.
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 determined that the Veteran's right hip strain is secondary to his service-connected left shin splint and bilateral knee disabilities. However, the opinion provided by the VA did not adequately address causation or aggravation of the right hip strain due to these conditions. The case is therefore being remanded for further analysis.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions leave her in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has been received since the August 2020 rating decision, warranting readjudication of the previously denied claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine (also claimed as a neck condition), lumbosacral strain, left hip strain, right hip strain, and right knee strain.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right and left hip disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
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.