Hip decisions — 2003

The Board found that the veteran does not have a right hip disability and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis of the lumbosacral spine is related to his service-connected right foot disability, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a right hip disability remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service medical records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip condition and multilevel degenerative joint disease of the lumbar and thoracic spine, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for post-traumatic arthritis of the right hip, which is considered presumptively incurred due to the veteran's status as a former prisoner of war (POW). The disability meets the criteria for a 10% evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current low back or hip disability and there is no evidence of such in service. Therefore, service connection for these disabilities cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for chronic laryngitis, right hip disability, and hemorrhoids. Service connection was granted for a bilateral knee disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a left hip disability and a low back disability, finding that these conditions are not related to his period of active service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected residuals of a compound, comminuted fracture of the right tibia and a simple fracture of the right fibula. The claim for increased rating remains pending.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, including cervical and dorsal spine degenerative changes, bilateral hip and shoulder disabilities, pes planus, TMJ syndrome, and hemorrhoids.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left elbow disability is related to service, but his hip disabilities are not. The right hip and left elbow issues have been granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for back, bilateral hip, and right knee disabilities, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 100% evaluation, effective from March 1998. The veteran's other claims are pending.

The veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected and secondary disability claims, including right hip, low back, left ankle disabilities; hypertensive cardiovascular disease; and gastrointestinal disorder. The case is being remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's current knee, hip, and back disabilities did not begin in or were aggravated by service. The claims for these conditions are denied.

The Board granted a 40% rating for the veteran's service-connected right hip disorder from June 13, 2000. The effective date of this increase is not specified as it was received within one year prior to April 30, 2001.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to a previous examination and x-rays, and will provide a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection of a right hip condition as secondary to his service-connected right gluteal scar.