Hip decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities, including osteoarthritis of the hips and piriformis syndrome with associated sciatic symptoms, are related to his service. The Board finds that these conditions had their onset during his combat service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are presumed to be related to in-service noise exposure, while his residuals of abdominal aneurysm repair surgery caused additional disability not reasonably foreseeable.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hip disability did not meet the criteria for service connection, as there was no evidence of its onset during or within one year after service and it is not shown to be causally related to his service-connected back disability.

The Veteran's appeals were denied for various issues, including cervical spine DJD, depression, PTSD, and bilateral hip disability. The claims for depression and PTSD were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence, while the claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability was denied as no causal relationship could be established.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right hip condition and remanded it for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for dental disability, radiculopathy to both legs, urinary frequency/nocturia, and bilateral hip disability. The Board found that there was no evidence of radiculopathy affecting his lower extremities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for a left hip condition, lupus, fibromyalgia, or congestive heart failure. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right knee disability prior to January 26, 2011 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or instability. For the period beginning March 1, 2012, the Veteran is rated at 30 percent for total knee replacement with limited range of motion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for bilateral knee disorder, and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between his current hip or low back conditions and his military service. His acquired psychiatric disorders were also not linked to his service. For his Achilles tendonitis claims, he did not meet the threshold requirements for increased ratings. The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as well.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination and the obtaining of additional medical records. The issues on appeal are related to service connection for various foot, knee, hip, and back disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pulmonary embolism, epilepsy (claimed as seizures due to car accident), and a left hip condition are all pending. The claim for pulmonary embolism is denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right hand, shoulder, hip, and knee disabilities due to incomplete development in the August and September 2017 VA medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for chronic headaches and TDIU, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional service treatment records and for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral shoulder bursitis, hip condition, left knee bursitis, and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine have all been granted.

The Veteran's bruxism is found to be related to service, warranting service connection.,There is no current evidence of a left knee disability. The claim for this issue is denied.,The Veteran does not have a compensable rating for his right hip disability as the flexion limitation does not exceed 45 degrees.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability has been rated based on limitation of motion, and he does not meet criteria for higher ratings under DC 5201.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to his period of active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The issues regarding bilateral hearing loss, left hip disability, and hypertension are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for high cholesterol is denied as it does not represent a disability for which VA compensation benefits may be awarded. The Board finds that the evidence of record does not support a finding that his bilateral elbow, wrist, and hip disabilities are related to service or an undiagnosed illness. His right hip disability remains on appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied her claim for service connection. The issue of a bilateral hip disability is pending as part of the remand process.

The Board found no evidence of a duodenal ulcer or right hip disability during service, and the preponderance of the evidence is against their etiology.,Regarding his bilateral knee disabilities, the Veteran testified to increased severity since his last VA examination in April 2016.