The Board remands the claim for a new opinion considering the Veteran's lay statements, as the previous VA examination and opinion were found inadequate.
The deciding factor: The previous VA opinion was deemed inadequate due to the absence of contemporaneous medical records and the Veteran's reported history of hip pain during service, which cannot be discounted solely based on the lack of such records.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hip disabilities, to include hip joint replacement and degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2025
- Citation
- A25043713
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for back pain stiffness and denied increased ratings for the Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities, but granted a 10 percent rating for limitation of adduction in both hips.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral hip disabilities to obtain VA examinations with etiology opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. It also granted initial ratings for various disabilities including a 20 percent rating for lumbar degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, spondylosis, and spondylolisthesis, a 30 percent rating for labral tear, including superior labral anterior-posterior lesion, status post surgical repair, and higher ratings for other conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and cervical spine disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities. The appeal for bilateral hip disabilities was dismissed as moot.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.