Hip decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a low back disability, right knee disability, right wrist disability, right foot disability, right hip disability, toenail fungus, or varicose veins that are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip and knee disabilities, as well as a temporary total evaluation based on the need for convalescence following right hip replacement surgery, are all denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hip disability is being remanded due to the need for an examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition, including whether it is related to exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and is not related to his service-connected lumbar or right ankle disabilities. The Veteran's bilateral hip disability has not been addressed in the remand request.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including pes planus, a right knee disability, left elbow bursitis, a right shoulder disability, and hip disabilities. The evidence did not establish current diagnoses or show that any claimed conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims of increased rating for her service-connected right knee disability and new issues of PTSD, a right shoulder disability, and a left hip disability. The RO has not issued an SOC on these matters. The case is REMANDED to obtain updated VA examination and treatment records, issue an SOC, and readjudicate the claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to a hearing officer's retirement and offered the Veteran an opportunity for a new hearing. The appeal is now pending again.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right hip disability was denied, as the evidence did not show that his condition warranted a rating in excess of 20 percent. The issue of service connection for hepatitis C is no longer under the Board's jurisdiction due to lack of timely substantive appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus on a de novo basis. The Veteran's left ankle disability, right hip disability, and left eye blindness are not supported by the evidence of record. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and earlier effective dates for PTSD, right hip disability, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities. The Board has no further jurisdiction over these claims.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated as non-compensable under the applicable rating criteria. The Board finds that at least a 20 percent rating for his right shoulder disability has been met throughout the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right hip disability and granted it, finding that the condition is secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability. The left hip disability was also found to be secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for Hanta Virus, IBS, anemia (claimed as blood thinning), left ear disability, skin disability, and leishmaniasis were withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance was denied as there is no documented provision of a manual wheelchair or other qualifying prosthetic or orthopedic appliance that tends to wear or tear his clothing, and the medications prescribed do not cause irreparable damage to his outergarments.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right arm, burned right hip, and burned right leg conditions. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding of current disabilities related to these issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied as the evidence is not in equipoise and does not support a finding of service connection for any of the conditions listed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions. The claims are not ready for appellate review due to incomplete record and procedural defects.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete rationale in a previous VA opinion regarding the Veteran's leg length discrepancy and its relationship to his service-connected right knee disability, as well as the potential aggravation of other disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The preponderance of the evidence fails to establish a relationship between his current sleep apnea and his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back and hip disabilities are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.