The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip conditions due to a lack of adequate medical opinions regarding whether his current hip conditions are related to his service-connected left knee condition. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development and consideration.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was internally inconsistent and did not adequately address the Veteran's lay statements about his symptoms during service, nor did it provide a clear opinion on whether his hip conditions were aggravated by his left knee condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Right hip condition, Left hip condition
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2026
- Citation
- A26000391
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26000391.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right knee degenerative arthritis based on limitation of motion was denied. A separate 20 percent rating for a right knee meniscus tear is granted. The claims for service connection for left hip condition and right foot gout are dismissed.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a low back condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right hip condition, finding that the Veteran's back pain is aggravated by his right hip surgery.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and left hip conditions due to inadequate opinions regarding secondary service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of a VA examination regarding the Veteran's right hip condition, which could be related to his active-duty service. The claim will be reconsidered with the provision of an appropriate examination.
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.