The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left inflammatory hip disease to obtain a VA examination addressing whether there is evidence in approximate balance that any diagnosed bilateral hip disability was incurred in or related to active duty service, as well as whether the manifestations and findings in the April 2016 VA examination report could be early indications of bilateral hip arthritis.

The deciding factor: The Board determined that a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error occurred because an opinion on service connection was never requested by the AOJ, given the STRs and current treatment records discussed above.

Claimed conditions

right-inflammatory-hip disease, to include iliopsoas tendinitis and pelvic inflammatory disease, left-inflammatory-hip disease, to include iliopsoas tendinitis and pelvic inflammatory disease

How they argued it

Reopened with new and material evidence

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

March 3, 2025

Citation

A25019067

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