The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate VA opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hip and back disabilities. The claims are being returned to the RO for further action.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner was unable to provide an opinion without resorting to speculation regarding the degree at which pain began in the hips and back, as well as the specific range of motion measurements prior to the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- right hip femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, left hip femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease (DJD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 26, 2024
- Citation
- 24034678
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 24034678.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's increased rating claims for various joint and headache disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports that did not consider all of the Veteran's symptomology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding direct and secondary service connection for right hip femoral acetabular impingement syndrome. The AOJ is required to obtain medical opinions addressing these issues.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right hip femoral acetabular impingement syndrome, and left hip strain (secondary to flexible pes planus).
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disorders are related to his active military service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.
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