Hip decisions — 2014

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right hip disability, depressive disorder, fatigue disorder, throat disorder, shoulder joint pain, left hip bursitis, and left knee strain. The decision also addressed issues related to melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, nevus, toe joint disorders, and a bilateral leg condition (claimed as muscle pain).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left hip disabilities are not service-connected, as they do not have a direct link to his military service or any other service-connected conditions. The TDIU claim is also denied due to the Veteran meeting the schedular criteria for a 60% combined rating but still being employed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of a bilateral ankle condition, bilateral knee condition, or left hip condition. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's right knee disability is service connected as secondary to his left knee and right hip disabilities. His left knee disability remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip condition, left hip condition, and back condition to provide an adequate VA examination. The examiner must determine if these conditions are related to or had their onset during service, and whether they were caused or aggravated by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral knee and hip conditions are not related to his active service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The issues of service connection for various conditions have become moot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including low back and bilateral hip conditions, were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service. The evidence does not establish a nexus between these conditions and any in-service injury or event.

The Veteran's lumbar spine and cervical spine degenerative disc disease, as well as his right and left hip disabilities, are found to be related to service. The benefit of the doubt is resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's periods of active duty, personnel and medical records from his service in the National Guard and Army Reserves, as well as a VA examination for his bilateral knees, hips, and left foot.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left ankle disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on his symptoms and examination findings. Service connection was also denied for left knee and hip disabilities as secondary to the service-connected left ankle disability.

The Veteran's right ankle degenerative joint disease is related to his in-service right ankle injury, and the Board has determined that service connection for this condition should be granted.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for bilateral knee disorders. The Veteran's claims for other conditions, including cardiovascular disorder, muscle pain, joint pain, abnormal weight loss, respiratory symptoms, and sleep disturbances, have been denied as not supported by evidence of record.

The Veteran's low back, bilateral ankle, and right hip disabilities are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated by active service.,However, the VA examiner opined that these disabilities are secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's service connection claims for low back, neck, right shoulder, and bilateral hip disabilities are pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal request from the Veteran's authorized representative.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip disability and low back disorder are being remanded due to inadequate opinions from the June 2014 VA examiner. The claims will be readjudicated after new opinions are obtained.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and a right hip disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities did not have their onset in service or are otherwise related to active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability, to include greater trochanteric bursitis, and as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities is being remanded due to inadequate opinion regarding the etiology of the claimed condition.