The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the November 2024 VA examination, where the examiner did not consider the effects of medication on his left hip disability. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining an opinion regarding the severity of the condition without considering the ameliorative effects of medications.
The deciding factor: The duty-to-assist error in the November 2024 VA examination prevented a full evaluation of the Veteran's left hip disability.
- Claimed conditions
- osteoarthritis of the left hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26017883
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 A26017883.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and notification issues. The AOJ must obtain addendum medical opinions addressing whether the Veteran's back, hip, and leg disabilities are directly related to his active service or secondary to a previously service-connected condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for osteoarthritis of both hips and obstructive sleep apnea due to a need for further evidentiary development.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for jock itch (tinea cruris) has been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence.,Service connection for left-sided and right-sided hernias, pseudo folliculitis of the face, pseudo folliculitis of the neck, lumbar spine disability, sciatic radicular pain and paresthesia of the lower extremities, left foot bunion, right foot bunion, toenail fungus and tinea pedis, left foot pes planus, right foot pes planus, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, osteoarthritis of the hips, left wrist disability, and right wrist disability has also been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence.,The Veteran's service treatment records are silent regarding any complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions. Post-service medical records do not provide evidence of current diagnoses for any of the claimed conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left knee arthritis, but the claims for right knee arthritis and osteoarthritis of both hips are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.
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