Hip decisions — 2009

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back and right hip conditions due to new evidence submitted. The Veteran's current disabilities are found to be related to his in-service airplane crash.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his active military service, including exposure to herbicides. The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that any current disability was incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed bilateral hip condition and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for a psychiatric disorder and right hip disability were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities, and the request to reopen the claim for a right hip disability was not supported by new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claimed left hip, right hip, and low back disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active duty. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total evaluation based on need for convalescence following surgery is granted. The claims to reopen service connection for bilateral hip and knee conditions are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his current right hip, right leg, and back disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee and hip disabilities, which may be related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing to be scheduled at the RO.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current right hip disability and bilateral knee disabilities, including whether they are related to service or pre-service conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of his left hip and lumbar spine disabilities, finding that no informal claim was filed prior to June 20, 2005.

The Board found that the Veteran's left hip disability was not shown in service or for many years thereafter, and is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected left foot disability. As a result, the claim for service connection for a left hip disability was denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection of right and left hip disabilities, finding that there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his service-connected right knee disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to the RO for consideration of additional evidence and a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip and right knee disabilities are aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability, warranting service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right hip and right knee disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not related to her active service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Board found no evidence of these conditions during his period of active military service or within the one-year presumptive period after separation. For the right shoulder, ankle, hip, and knee conditions, there is insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between these conditions and his service-connected right knee condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct further development.

The Veteran seeks service connection for joint disabilities, including as secondary to his service-connected heart condition. The Board finds that a new VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of any current knee, shoulder, hip, and/or back disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's right hip disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and low back disorder were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that these conditions existed prior to service or were related to service.