The Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities have been rated at the minimum level due to painful motion, but do not meet criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.,The Veteran’s low back disability has been rated at 20 percent and does not meet criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of range of motion.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hip disabilities are currently evaluated as painful motion, which is the minimum available rating. His low back disability is currently evaluated based on guarding or muscle spasm, but no additional loss of range of motion has been demonstrated during flareups or with repetitive use.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Arthritis of Left Hip, Degenerative Arthritis of Right Hip, Degenerative Disc Disease at L2-S2 with Spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 4, 2021
- Citation
- 21000203
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 21000203.
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 a right leg disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service. The evidence did not show any specific injury in service or continuity of symptoms since service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities, finding that his current conditions are related to a fall during service and subsequent development of degenerative arthritis.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee and hip disabilities meet the percentage requirements for TDIU, as his combined rating is at least 70 percent. However, he does not have unemployability due to these conditions alone.
- Denied
The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected left hip disability, which includes a femoral neck fracture and degenerative arthritis, does not warrant an increased rating beyond the current 20 percent evaluation.
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