Citation Nr: 25003003 Decision Date: 03/03/25 Archive Date: 03/03/25 DOCKET NO. 14-28 930A DATE: March 3, 2025 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis) is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis) is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a left hip condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a right hip condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a left ankle condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a right ankle condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty in the Air Force from April 1978 to April 1982, and again from October 1983 to June 1985. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from an April 2012 rating decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO), also known as the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ). The Veteran's Notice of Disagreement (NOD) was received in September 2012. The AOJ issued the Statement of the Case (SOC) in July 2014, and the Veteran's VA Form 9 Substantive Appeal was received in August 2014. In January 2022, the Veteran testified at a Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. The transcript of the hearing is of record. This matter was previously before the Board in August 2022 and March 2023, whereupon it was remanded for additional development. In July 2024, the Veteran was informed that the Veterans Law Judge who held the hearing is no longer available and was offered the opportunity to attend another one. He did not elect to do so. The case is now returned to the Board for further appellate adjudication. 1. Entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis) is remanded. 2. Entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis) is remanded. 3. Entitlement to service connection for left hip condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. 4. Entitlement to service connection for right hip condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. 5. Entitlement to service connection for left ankle condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. 6. Entitlement to service connection for right ankle condition (also claimed as body aches and arthritis), to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, is remanded. 7. Entitlement to a TDIU is remanded. The Veteran contends that he suffers from bilateral hip, shoulder and ankle conditions which are related to service. See January 2022 Board Hearing Transcript. The Veteran was most recently afforded VA examinations in September 2022 to address both direct and secondary service connection for the Veteran's bilateral hip, shoulder and ankle conditions. The Board finds, however, that the appeal must be remanded again because these VA medical opinions addressed secondary causation but not secondary aggravation, i.e., whether any service-connected disability aggravated the bilateral hip, shoulder, or ankle disabilities. Both causation and aggravation should be addressed when a secondary service connection theory has been raised. See El-Amin v. Shinseki, 26 Vet. App. 136, 140 (2013). The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is intertwined with the above remanded claims. These matters are REMANDED for the following action: Obtain addendum VA medical opinions to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral hip, bilateral shoulder and bilateral ankle conditions. The complete record, to include a copy of this remand and the claims folder, must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner in conjunction with this examination. Based on a review of the entire record, the examiner must opine: (a) Whether it is at least as likely as not (likelihood is at least approximately balanced or nearly equal, if not higher) that the Veteran's bilateral hip, bilateral shoulder and bilateral ankle conditions are caused by, or aggravated by, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his service-connected knee and feet disabilities. M. Schlickenmaier Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board B. Hillman, Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.