The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hip arthritis is secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee degenerative arthritis.
The deciding factor: An additional medical opinion is needed as the April 2017 VA examiner’s opinion was found to be insufficient and general in nature, lacking a clear identification of the Veteran's condition.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the bilateral hips
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20011397
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 20011397.
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 Board granted service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left foot hammer toe, iliotibial band syndrome, right knee, migraines, and benign neoplasm of the thyroid. Service connection was denied for arthritis of the bilateral hips.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is granted.,The Veteran's claims of service connection for migraine headaches, arthritis of the shoulders, knees, hips, and back have all been denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion on service connection issues and considering the Veteran's exposure to herbicides. The appeal is currently in a state of uncertainty regarding these matters.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from Miners Hospital in Frostburg, Maryland. The AOJ must attempt to secure these records and provide addendum examination reports addressing the nature and etiology of the claimed disabilities.
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