Hip decisions — 2001

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and hip disability are found to be related to service, with the Board granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right hip and knee disabilities, as well as increased ratings for his left foot fractures. The RO granted service connection for bilateral tibial stress fractures but did not assign a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and procedural issues, including the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disability, right hip disability, and a compensable rating for residuals of right thigh injury. The RO is directed to obtain treatment records from private providers and VA Medical Center, provide an appropriate VA examination, and consider whether separate service connection claims should be evaluated.

The Board found that the veteran's right hip disability did not result from treatment received at a VA facility, and thus denied his claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including a neck disability and pulmonary disability, as well as bilateral hip, ankle, shoulder, knee, and back disabilities. The decision found no evidence of these conditions during service or due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, including notification and development action required by the law.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting medical evidence and incomplete records.

The RO has denied the appellant's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his right hip disability and TDIU, finding that the evidence does not satisfy the criteria for these evaluations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip disability and increased evaluations for her right and left carpal tunnel syndromes, finding no current disability or evidence of an in-service injury that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hip and left foot disabilities are not related to his service-connected right knee disability, and thus cannot be granted secondary service connection.

The Board has vacated its October 1998 decision and remanded the case to develop and readjudicate the neck, left hip, and ulcer claims in light of recent legislation. The back and psychiatric claims are deemed intertwined with the neck claim.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's right hip disability and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, both currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed low back, left hip, and right knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right hip and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence of current manifestations or chronicity in service. The original compensable rating claim for bronchitis was also denied.

The veteran sustained additional disabilities in his right shoulder, low back, and possibly right hip as a result of falling into an elevator at the VA hospital. The low back disability is attributed to pre-existing service-connected lumbosacral strain aggravated by the fall. Right shoulder and right hip injuries are considered new disabilities resulting from the 1995 incident.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's right hip disability, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip disability and an increased rating for a scar of the scalp.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disability. The appeal is granted, but further development is needed before the merits of the case can be decided.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle, leg, knee and hip disabilities as secondary to his service-connected bilateral pes planus.