Hip decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, left shoulder disability, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and other musculoskeletal issues, has been granted. However, some claims were remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural errors.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back and right hip disabilities as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The issues of service connection for left knee, left hip, neck, numbness and weakness of upper extremities, numbness and weakness of lower extremities, and PTSD are remanded.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded as it was inferred from his allegations.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right hip disability, skin condition (including as due to herbicide exposure), and heart condition are related to his military service. However, further examination is needed to determine if these conditions were caused by or are otherwise related to his time in Vietnam.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and insufficient VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right hip disability. The Veteran needs to provide authorization for VA to obtain his chiropractor visit records, and a new VA examination is required.

The Veteran's bilateral hip disability is granted as service-connected due to a diagnosis of mild degenerative arthritis, presumed related to active service.,Service connection for the Veteran's skin disability (psoriasiform dermatitis) is denied because it was not caused or permanently worsened by his service-connected back disability.

The claim for service connection of a lumbar spine disability has been reopened and granted. The claims for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, left hip condition, and left leg and knee condition have all been denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connection is established.,Service connection for a bilateral hip disability is denied due to lack of in-service injury or chronicity.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but the evidence does not support a finding that it began during active service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disorder (secondary to posttraumatic arthritis of the right knee), hypertension, cepahlgia, cervicothoracic spine disorder, thoracic spine disorder (low back condition), bilateral hip condition, and left sciatic radicular pain have been denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's lower back, bilateral hip, and left knee disabilities are found to be related to his service-connected pes planus.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's bilateral eye disability as it is considered a residual of his TBI.

The Board denied service connection for hip, back, heart, hypertension, and OSA disabilities. The claims were not reopened.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral great toes, bilateral ankle disability, lumbar spine disability as secondary to service-connected arterial reconstruction left lower extremity, and bilateral hip disability as secondary to service-connected arterial reconstruction left lower extremity have been denied. The right knee disability claim has not met the criteria for a rating more than 10 percent.,The Veteran's depression claim has not met the criteria for a rating more than 50 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica but denied service connection for a right hip condition manifested by pain.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the last final denial.,Service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress is granted as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee chondromalacia.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right hip injury is granted. The Board also remanded several issues related to low back, left hip, right hip, left knee, and bilateral nerve conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection for a right hip disability. The Veteran's claim will be further evaluated with an addendum opinion from the November 2016 VA examiner.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left wrist condition, right hip condition, bilateral hearing loss, and low sex drive have all been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or functional impairment.,There are no diagnosed conditions related to the claimed issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left and right hip disabilities, as well as his claim for service connection for tinnitus. The remand includes obtaining additional VA treatment records, private care records, and scheduling a VA addendum medical opinion to address the extent of the Veteran's bilateral hip disorders.