The Board remands the claims for service connection for a right hip disability, left hip disability, and lumbar spine disability to obtain an adequate examination with opinion.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's October 2023 examination was found inadequate as it did not diagnose a current disability in either hip and did not address reported functional loss due to pain. Additionally, the record has reasonably raised a theory of service connection for a lumbar spine disability related to the Veteran's bilateral hip pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hip Disability, Left Hip Disability, Lumbar Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 11, 2025
- Citation
- 25004929
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 the Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability, both before and after November 8, 2024.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right hip disability, left hip disability, lumbar strain and sacroiliac joint pain with left lower extremity radiation, and right great toe ingrown toenail and onychomycosis as the evidence did not show a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted a 10 percent rating for left hip disability based on limitation of flexion and the maximum schedular 10 percent rating for left hip disability based on limitation of extension, subject to the laws and regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service.
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