The Board remands the claims for an increased rating in order to obtain a more thorough VA examination that can clarify the severity of the Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities during flare-ups and with repeated use over time.
The deciding factor: The February 2024 VA examination was found inadequate as it did not provide estimations of range of motion limitations during flare-ups or with repeated use over time, which is necessary for a proper rating decision.
- Claimed conditions
- left hip arthritis, right hip arthritis, left hip limitation of flexion, right hip limitation of flexion, left hip limitation of extension, right hip limitation of extension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25035189
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 service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Denied
The Board denied restoration of the 30 percent ratings for left knee arthritis (flexion), left knee strain arthritis (extension), and left knee instability, as well as a 20 percent rating for left ankle chronic sprain. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for further evidentiary development to ensure compliance with its prior remand instructions, including scheduling an examination.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a deviated septum and right wrist pain, while denying service connection for sleep apnea. The decision also addressed various rating issues and effective dates.
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