Hip decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding service connection for low back and bilateral hip disabilities, specifically whether they are aggravated by service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disability and liver disorder have been denied as they are not related to his active duty service or any other factor. His diabetes mellitus has not required regulation of activities, and his knee disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal was granted for a rating of 30 percent for PTSD with a mood disorder, effective April 11, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran timely filed an appeal regarding his initial 10 percent rating for PTSD and established service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to GERD and hiatal hernia.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the Veteran's incarceration and incomplete medical records. The right hip disability and acquired psychiatric disability claims are both in need of additional examination and review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with the Board's previous remand directives. The case will be returned for further examination and readjudication.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and has continued since. The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was aggravated by service, as evidenced by significant threshold shifts in his audiometric results from before and after service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings for various service-connected disabilities has been withdrawn. The Veteran is now granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) from June 29, 2010 to February 26, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate consideration of certain criteria and functional limitations. The case must be returned to the AOJ for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including rescheduling of VA examinations and obtaining private treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability is not related to service and is not secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's right shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been rated based on their current severity.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with a previous remand directive. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, bilateral hip, and low back disabilities. The preponderance of the evidence shows that these conditions did not manifest during or as a result of his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been withdrawn due to his request in a March 2017 statement.,The Veteran's claims for service connection and ratings related to hearing loss, psoriasis, and secondary disabilities are dismissed as the issues were withdrawn.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability, low back disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder as the Veteran did not provide credible evidence of in-service injuries or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability did not manifest during service and is not otherwise related to an event or injury in service. The claim for service connection for a right hip disability is denied.

The Veteran's right knee disorder, including his right hip and left thigh disabilities, has been rated at 20 percent since July 25, 2008. The current rating adequately reflects the limitation of motion in the right knee.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a live videoconference hearing at the local RO.

The Veteran's right hip disability is found to be secondary to his service-connected back disability. However, there is no evidence of a left hip disability or bilateral foot disability that is related to his service-connected back disability.