The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disorder is a 'but-for' cause of her right hip disorder.
The deciding factor: The November 2023 VA opinion did not properly consider whether the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disorder could be a 'but-for cause' of her right hip disorder, and thus an additional examination is needed to address this issue.
- Claimed conditions
- right hip disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25023930
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.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and rating issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity, lumbar radiculopathy as they were already granted. The claims for service connection for a right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, and cervical spine disorder are remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a right hip disorder for further development, specifically requiring an addendum medical opinion from a VA doctor.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claims for various conditions due to a lack of compliance with previous remand directives and inadequate medical opinions.
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