Hip decisions — 2018

The Board has ordered the Veteran to provide VA treatment records from January 25, 2005 to August 4, 2017. The appeal is being remanded due to this missing information.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his left hip disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of potential flare-ups.

The claim for service connection of the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right hip disability and right foot disability is reopened. The claims for secondary service connection are remanded due to lack of an opinion on whether these disabilities were caused or aggravated by his service-connected status-post compartment release of the right lower extremity with residual saphenous neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the case to consider an earlier effective date for a Total Disability Rating due to Unemployability (TDIU) claim, which was not addressed in the April 2018 decision. The TDIU issue is now part of the adjudication process.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition, bilateral radiculopathy (secondary to the back condition), bilateral hip condition (secondary to the back condition), and bilateral leg condition (secondary to the back condition) have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not assigned a specific effective date as the claim is still pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disability, hypertension, cervical spine/ neck disability, low back disability, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral arms and hands, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral legs, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral feet disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sleep apnea, thyroid disability, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and acquired psychiatric disorder to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nervous disorder, anxiety, and depression.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right hip disability may be related to his military service and is remanding for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations for his right shoulder, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate examinations. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for low back and right hip disabilities, but denied service connection for right leg and left leg disabilities. The low back and right hip disabilities are considered to be related to the Veteran's in-service injuries.

The Board has denied service connection for various hip, knee, shoulder, and sleep apnea disabilities as the evidence does not support a finding that any current disability is related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including low back disability, left and right hip disabilities, erectile dysfunction, bladder disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, all of which were secondary to his claimed low back disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to his military service or injuries incurred therein.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, as well as his left hip disability. The Veteran is also seeking a TDIU based on these service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding her hip, hand, and upper extremity disabilities. The low back disability claim is also being remanded as the VA examination did not include necessary joint testing.

The Board denied service connection for left hip disability, dismissed the appeal of residuals of broken ribs, and denied reopening claims for vision disability, TBI, and psychiatric disability. The Veteran's request for a specially adapted housing grant was also denied.

The Board has decided that further development is needed before the Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating can be decided. This includes obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected lumbar spine and left hip disabilities, as well as their impact on his ability to work.

The Board denied service connection for left hip and left knee disabilities, finding no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The Veteran's current hip and knee disabilities are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including left knee, right knee, back, left hip, and right hip conditions, are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, left hip, and right hip disabilities due to unclear opinions from Dr. W.J.T.

The appeal of entitlement to a rating greater than 40 percent for degenerative changes of the lower thoracolumbar spine is dismissed. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip disability, right ear hearing loss, and nerve impairment in the lower extremities are remanded.