Hip decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hip and low back disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of arthritis or other compensable disability within one year post-service. The VA examiners have opined that these conditions are less likely caused by his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability existed prior to his military service and did not increase in severity beyond its natural progression during service. Therefore, service connection for a right hip disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee, hip, and ankle disabilities due to lack of diagnosis. The claim of service connection for a neck disability is reopened based on new evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of a right hip disability, and the left ankle disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for low back, right knee, left knee, right hip, and right ankle disabilities. The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has ordered a new VA opinion to determine if the Veteran's hip and knee disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected back disability. The case is remanded for this purpose.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a right hip disability, right knee disability, and erectile dysfunction due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to issue a statement of the case on these issues.

The Veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection and increased ratings related to his right foot and hand disabilities, as well as a TDIU claim. The case is being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration records and additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing at a local VA office.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess her fibromyalgia and right hip disability claims.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip disability secondary to service-connected spinal stenosis and denied the Veteran's claim for increased rating for laceration, right hand. The left hip degenerative joint disease is rated at 70 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during service or that any current disabilities are related to service.

The Board finds that there is no evidence to support a service connection claim for the Veteran's bilateral hip condition, as his current disability does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317 due to undiagnosed illness or qualifying chronic disability associated with his Persian Gulf War service. The Board also finds that there is no evidence of a preexisting degenerative joint disease and herniated lumbar disc shown in 1998, which would be aggravated by active duty service from February 2003 to March 2004.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including the provision of a new VA examination to address the etiology of his right hip and low back disorders.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability. The Veteran's low back, bilateral hip, and left knee disabilities are being remanded for additional examination and opinion regarding their relationship to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has found that additional development is required before the claims on appeal are decided, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's low back disability. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hip, knee, and ankle disabilities remain inextricably intertwined with the issue of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability.

The Board has determined that the evidence currently of record is sufficient to establish the Veteran's entitlement to service connection for a left hip disability with associated surgical scar and nerve damage. Therefore, no further development is required.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing records related to a right hip injury and the need for additional information from the Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the etiology of his right shoulder arthritis and to issue a statement of the case regarding increased evaluation for left ankle strain, service connection for right knee condition, left knee condition, right hip condition, left hip condition, and right ankle condition.