The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions to determine the severity of his service-connected right hip disability, scars, and DDD/IVDS of the thoracolumbar spine.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that there were pre-decisional duty to assist errors regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions prior to their initial determinations.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Hip Replacement, Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) and Intervertebral Disc Syndrome (IVDS), Thoracolumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26028925
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 A26028925.
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 Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his right hip replacement and left hip disability have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 50 percent for right hip replacement or for a compensable rating for limitation of extension of the left hip.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, as new evidence suggests a possible link between the condition and the Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea. The effective dates for right hip replacement and left hip replacement remain denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted a TDIU from May 11, 2018 to December 5, 2019 due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's right hip condition and tinnitus were found to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment during this period.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral hip replacements are rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to moderately severe residuals of weakness, pain, or limitation of motion.
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.