Hip decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the original grant of service connection for lumbar spine and right hip disabilities was clearly erroneous due to the Veteran's willful misconduct, leading to a decision denying these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and disability ratings have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on the issues of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability and a bilateral hip disability. As there are no remaining questions of fact or law, the Board has dismissed these matters.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability has been denied as there is no current evidence of such a condition.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal request from the appellant's representative.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to service connection, including those involving erectile dysfunction and hair loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hip disability and PCOS are not etiologically related to active service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of continuous or recurrent symptoms since separation from service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, right knee, and right hip disabilities are not service-connected as they were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since August 25, 2010.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right knee and left hip disabilities, finding that there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his left hip disability was rated appropriately at 30 percent (20 percent for compensation purposes) and his chondromalacia patella of the left knee warranted a 10 percent rating. The claim for service connection for PTSD and a TDIU rating is denied.

The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome was found to be caused by his service-connected lumbar spine disability, and the Board granted service connection for this condition. The service-connection claim for a left hip disability is being remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not file an informal or formal claim for service connection prior to April 10, 2003. Therefore, the effective date of the grant of service connection for a right hip disability cannot be earlier than April 10, 2003.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and updating the claims file with any outstanding records.

The Board has granted service connection for recurrent right shoulder injury residuals including post-operative clavicular dislocation residuals and right humeral fracture residuals, but denied the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right hip disability. The Veteran's right shoulder injuries are considered to be related to his service-connected right knee osteomalacia.

The Board found that the Veteran's hip disabilities did not meet the criteria for service connection, as there was no evidence linking his current hip conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bronchiectasis due to her service-connected asthma and COPD. The Veteran's other claims have been denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for VA examinations to assess the etiology of any arthritis, low back, bilateral knee, and bilateral hip disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including the issuance of a Statement of the Case and scheduling of a videoconference hearing.