The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right hip condition, and left hip condition due to conflicting opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there were ambiguous findings regarding the relationship between the Veteran’s lumbar spine and hip disabilities and his service-connected bilateral knee disability, necessitating further examination to clarify these relationships.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Right hip condition, Left hip condition
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19195711
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 19195711.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include alcohol use disorder, unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, and PTSD was granted. Other claims for various conditions were denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, finding a positive nexus to the Veteran's active duty service.
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