Hip decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, with the exception of a noncompensable rating for left knee disability.

The Veteran's disability is currently rated at 30 percent for comminuted fracture of the right femur with right knee and right hip disability, with shortening of right leg and surgical scar. The evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no indication of ankylosis or severe instability.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a bilateral hip disability and found that new evidence supports this reopening. However, it determined that there is no current disability related to service or any other basis for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying periods of active duty and inactive duty training. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hip disability will be reconsidered after this additional information is obtained.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a video conference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's osteoarthritis of bilateral sacroiliac joints is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar back strain with degenerative disc disease and arthritis, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a bilateral hip disability, and the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is not related to his service-connected right ankle disability. The claim for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is addressed in a separate issue.

The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed disability of the right shoulder or right hip which is attributable to service. The claim for dairy allergy was denied as it is considered congenital or developmental in nature.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his inability to attend the scheduled hearing. His claims for service connection and reopening of a back disability claim are still pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right hip disability, and tinnitus. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of such. The claims for service connection for bilateral knee and foot disabilities, bilateral shoulder disability, and erectile dysfunction are pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions and a need to obtain additional records. The issues of service connection for right knee disability, right hip disability as secondary to right knee disability, and back disability as secondary to right knee disability are being addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further development of his claims.

The Veteran's right femur disability is rated at 30 percent, meeting the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5313. The left hip and femur disabilities are not rated higher as they do not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current left hip disability and denied his claim for service connection. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, hip, knee, and back disabilities have been granted. The initial disability rating for chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, and fractured nasal septum has also been increased to 30 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left hip disability and pain of the left lower extremity was denied as there is no current evidence of a left hip disability. The Board found that the Veteran does not have any current left hip disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's increased initial rating claim for his left hip disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limited flexion or extension. The TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar myofascial strain, right hip and ankle disabilities that are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.,Service connection is also granted for bilateral hip and ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of a bilateral hip disability, thus denying the claim for service connection.