Hip decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a review of the Veteran's claims file and an orthopedic examination to address secondary service connection by aggravation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hip disabilities are not related to his service-connected prostate cancer and have denied both claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and bilateral hip disabilities are not service-connected, with no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examinations to address his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from a specific date range and seeking supplemental clinical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected right ankle, lumbosacral spine, bilateral hip and bilateral knee disabilities have effectively rendered him unable to use his lower extremities without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or a wheelchair. As such, he is entitled to specially adapted housing.

The Veteran's appeals for bilateral cataracts and a compensable rating for malaria have been withdrawn. The Board has found that tinnitus was incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge, and the appeal is being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip condition was denied as she does not have a current disability of the right hip other than sacroiliitis, which is already service-connected. The claims for increased evaluations for her service-connected disabilities were remanded due to the passage of time and new evidence indicating possible changes in severity.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral knee and hip conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hip and ankle disabilities are pending as the VA has not provided adequate opinions for these conditions.,A full grant of the benefit sought on appeal for left knee disability remains in appellate status.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records from the Veteran's service at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. The Veteran served there from July 8, 1942 until December 1943 and reported being thrown into the air while transporting heavy equipment, resulting in treatment for three days.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations and consideration of the Veteran's claims due to her current residence in Germany.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his right femur fracture and hip disability was denied as there is no evidence of marked knee or hip disability, or flexion limited to 20 degrees or less.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and additional VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including right foot, low back, bilateral knee, bilateral hip, and left foot disabilities, cannot be granted as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability or persistent/recurrent symptoms related to his active service, and the VA examinations did not support any nexus between his claimed conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any left hip disability.

The Veteran's low back disability, including degenerative changes, is found to be secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The right hip disability has not been diagnosed and thus cannot be granted as secondary.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, with the exception of his claim for left hip disability which was granted. The effective dates for both IBS and left hip disability are set at the date each claim was received.