Hip decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluation, service connection, and reopening of a claim for secondary service connection due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between his service-connected right ankle sprain and his claimed conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip condition and an increased rating for his post-operative residuals of a comminuted fracture of the right tibia and fibula, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and readjudication, including obtaining VA medical records from March 2005 to the present.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee and hip disabilities are not related to service or secondary to a service-connected right foot disability, thus denying both claims.

The VA determined that the veteran's pre-existing Legg-Perthes disease of the left hip did not worsen during service and is not presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board found no evidence of aggravation beyond normal progression.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, left hip disability, seizure disorder, coronary artery disease (CAD), bilateral hearing loss, and vertigo.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims for the aforementioned issues.

The Board denied service connection for right hip disability and PTSD, as well as increased evaluations for migraine headaches, lumbosacral strain, chondromalacia of the knees, and residuals of left ankle sprain. The reasons were that there was no evidence of in-service combat or verified stressors leading to PTSD, and the veteran did not engage in combat with the enemy.

The veteran's service connection claim for low back disability (lumbar degenerative disc disease and lumbar spondylosis) has been granted, with a rating of 30 percent. The other claims have not been decided.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hip and left knee disabilities, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions in the medical records. The claims were decided on a direct basis without any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and right hip disability on a secondary basis are not properly addressed due to inadequate notification of VCAA provisions.,Further examination is needed to determine if the veteran's current conditions are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee disability and right hip disability. The RO must issue a Statement of the Case (SOC) delineating the actions taken with respect to these claims, and if appropriate, undertake further review.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left knee disability. However, bilateral hip and ankle disabilities are not shown to be related to his service-connected left knee disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and he was awarded a compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss. His right hip disability and chest pain were also granted service connection. The effective date of the award is July 8, 2002.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and the provision of a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right hip disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, low back disability, obesity, right hip disability, left hip disability, and left knee disability. The appeals were based on direct service connection rather than any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have a current right hip disability and that any pain he experiences is not related to his service-connected right ankle disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a right hip disability is denied.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal, and the case is dismissed.