The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, osteoarthritis of the left hip, and osteoarthritis of the right hip. The decision is based on the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current disabilities and his in-service events.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there are insufficient medical opinions to determine whether the Veteran’s spine and/or hip disabilities had their clinical onset during service or are due to an event or incident of his period of active service, including the length of time the in-service surgery screws and bar remained implanted in his ankle.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis of the spine, osteoarthritis, left hip, osteoarthritis, right hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19147801
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, right hip degenerative joint disease and rheumatoid arthritis with acetabular cyst status post right total hip replacement, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, fever sores, and a compromised immune system, as the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a deviated septum and right wrist pain, while denying service connection for sleep apnea. The decision also addressed various rating issues and effective dates.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for special monthly pension (SMP) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is remanded to ensure that the appellant receives every possible consideration, including a new VA examination.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left hand and right hand essential tremors, as well as increased ratings for knee instability, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and degenerative arthritis of the right ankle. The appeal was denied for a left ankle disability.
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