The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right hip strain, as it may be related to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The pre-decisional VA medical opinions were inadequate and did not address the Veteran's abnormal gait caused by his service-connected disabilities, which could cause or aggravate his diagnosed right hip strain.
- Claimed conditions
- Right hip strain, Right patella tendon tear (right knee status post repair with degenerative joint disease), Lateral collateral ligament sprain (right ankle), Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine associated with patella tendon tear, Right and left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy associated with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 25, 2024
- Citation
- A24060533
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 A24060533.
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 determined that the Veteran's right hip strain is secondary to his service-connected left shin splint and bilateral knee disabilities. However, the opinion provided by the VA did not adequately address causation or aggravation of the right hip strain due to these conditions. The case is therefore being remanded for further analysis.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions leave her in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that new and relevant evidence has been received since the August 2020 rating decision, warranting readjudication of the previously denied claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine (also claimed as a neck condition), lumbosacral strain, left hip strain, right hip strain, and right knee strain.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment since May 1, 2015.
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