The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, and left hip due to inadequate medical opinions provided in previous VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners did not address the March 2025 addendum opinion which provided new diagnoses of degenerative joint disease for bilateral hips and shoulders.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease, right shoulder, Degenerative joint disease, left shoulder, Degenerative joint disease, right hip, Degenerative joint disease, left hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2026
- Citation
- 26000035
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 26000035.
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 appeal was dismissed as a matter of law because the August 2020 rating decision effectuated the July 2017 Board decision that restored the 20 percent rating for degenerative joint disease, left hip.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 21, 2017, for the assignment of increased ratings for degenerative joint disease and impairment of each hip, as well as limitation of extension of each hip.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left hip, right hip, and left knee, as well as herniated and bulging discs of the back due to conflicting opinions and lack of medical evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder conditions, including tendinosis and degenerative joint disease, have been granted a rating of 30 percent. The instability issue has also been granted a 30 percent rating.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.