The Board remands the claims for service connection of left and right hip degeneration to correct a duty to assist error, as VA must provide a VA examination regarding whether the Veteran has a right or left hip disorder that is secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder.
The deciding factor: The AOJ did not obtain a VA examination regarding whether the Veteran has a right or left hip disorder that is secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder, which is required for a proper determination of service connection under 38 U.S.C. § 1110 and 38 C.F.R. § 3.310.
- Claimed conditions
- left hip degeneration, right hip degeneration
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25056880
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 claims for an earlier effective date, a higher rating for tinnitus, and service connection for various conditions, including knees and hips.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for left hip degeneration, right hip degeneration, low back condition, and right knee condition. The Board found insufficient evidence to grant or deny these claims at this point.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
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