The Veteran's service-connected hypothyroidism is found to have caused or aggravated his osteopenia of the left femoral head. The issue of whether it also caused or aggravated his back disability remains pending and will be remanded for further examination.
The deciding factor: The examiner found that the Veteran's longstanding hypothyroidism and/or medication used to treat it weakened the bones in his spine, even if they are not osteopenic, such that any or all of his diagnosed lumbar spine conditions were worsened.
- Claimed conditions
- bone loss, osteopenia of the left femoral head
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2024
- Citation
- 24012696
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 24012696.
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 remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient examination and a pre-decisional duty to assist error. A new VA examination is required.
- Granted
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- Granted
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's dental disability, specifically osteomyelitis and bone loss. The examiner is requested to address whether these disabilities are related to service, particularly post-extraction infection during service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
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