Hip decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine and right hip disability are etiologically related to his active service, leading to a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's right knee and hip disabilities have been rated, but the claims for increased ratings are denied as there is no evidence of additional functional loss or instability that would warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus and erectile dysfunction are granted service connection as they are related to his active duty. The degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is also granted, but the hip condition, leg disorder, and major depression claims remain pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her right hip and right knee disabilities, including obtaining recent medical records and scheduling an examination by a knowledgeable orthopedic physician.

The Board denied reopening the claims for left hip and left knee disabilities, finding no new and material evidence. The claim for left knee disability was reopened as there is new evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a medical opinion regarding whether the appellant's bilateral hip disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected radiculopathy of the lower extremities, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and right and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and the obtaining of any outstanding records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a hip disability, finding that his current hip disorder is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations and effective dates, finding that service connection had already been granted prior to February 27, 2007.

The Veteran's right hip condition was not incurred in service, and his current right knee and tailbone conditions are pending further review.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to the adjudication of these claims, including obtaining all VA treatment records from April 13, 2005 through June 26, 2005 and any subsequent records. The Veteran's claim will be remanded for a new VA examination to determine if he has an additional disability caused by VA medical care.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current bilateral hip, knee, or ankle condition and finds that the Veteran's lower extremity pain is not related to her service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's right hip and lumbar spine disabilities were granted service connection in error, effective July 31, 2000. The appeal for earlier effective dates is denied.,The Veteran's right hip and lumbar spine disabilities were granted service connection in error, effective July 31, 2000. The appeals for initial evaluations are denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hip disability was not incurred in service and is not related to her service-connected chronic lumbar strain. The initial rating for chronic lumbar strain prior to March 28, 2006, and from March 28, 2006 onwards, has also been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Federal disability retirement records and medical records from the Nexus Pain Clinic. An additional VA examination will also be scheduled to assess the current severity of his service-connected left calf atrophy and hyperflexia.

The Veteran's left knee disability is as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected fusion of the left ankle with history of fracture and post-operative repair of the ankle ligaments.

The Board found that the Veteran's left hip disability was not incurred or aggravated by service and is unrelated to any period of active duty, inactive duty training, or active duty for training. The pre-existing condition clearly and unmistakably existed prior to his second period of service and did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, left hip and low back disabilities are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cervical spine, low back, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities are being remanded for additional development due to the need to address the impact of his airborne training. The ankle disabilities are separate from the thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease or degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings were denied as he did not file a timely substantive appeal.