Hip decisions — 2019

The Veteran's appeal seeking service connection for a right hip disability, low back disability, and cold injury residuals to the feet has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, migraine headache disability, herpes disability, sleep disorder, athlete’s foot, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back strain disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints have been denied.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for his right and left eye disabilities due to incomplete information.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his claimed low back, neck, bilateral hip, and right shoulder disabilities. The VA is instructed to schedule the Veteran for new VA examinations to determine the current nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA examination to clarify whether the Veteran's left hip and right leg/knee disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, as well as his low back disability, are rated at the lowest possible levels. The Board has remanded these issues for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip and right shoulder disabilities, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service symptoms.

The Veteran's left hip disability was rated at 50 percent from October 1, 2013 to June 13, 2019.,Starting on June 13, 2019, the Veteran's left hip disability was rated at 70 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and hip conditions, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any other in-service event. The Board also found that secondary service connection could not be granted as the Veteran did not have a diagnosed condition at issue.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left hip disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for hiatal hernia / GERD was denied. His right knee chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis received a 100% disability rating effective November 7, 2018. The claims for left knee, left hip, and right hip disabilities were remanded due to lack of evidence or insufficient evidence. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis was also remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for hypertension was dismissed as he withdrew his request.,His claims of service connection for peripheral neuropathy and shoulder/hip disabilities were granted, but the Board found additional evidence needed to determine if these conditions are related to service or other conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to a failure to obtain VA examinations and provide nexus opinions. The Veteran's service records do not support a finding of in-service injury or disease for most conditions.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for left and right hip disabilities, as well as a scar associated with her hip surgeries, are denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on functional loss or instability.

The Veteran's right hip disability is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that her current condition is at least as likely as not related to her in-service stress fractures and right hip pain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have a bilateral foot, right leg, or left leg disability during his lifetime. The appellant's statements regarding these disabilities are not considered competent evidence as they do not demonstrate medical expertise.,The Veteran was diagnosed with CAD in 1999, which is more than 37 years after his discharge from service. There is no evidence linking the diagnosis to his service or any incident therein.

The claim to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for left knee disability is granted. The appeal is granted to this extent only.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective January 1, 2010 and denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The decision also found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment prior to January 1, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability and pinched nerve are not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected shrapnel fragment wound, right buttock with retained foreign body. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including heat stroke, sleep apnea, hip disorders, hypertension, and prostate cancer, were denied. The Board found no current diagnoses or in-service events that would support these claims.

The Veteran's request to reopen claims for left ear hearing loss disability and lung disability (previously claimed as residuals of pneumonia) were granted. The right hip, GERD, concussive migraine headaches, short-term memory loss, left shoulder, right shoulder, left hand, and right hand disabilities are all remanded for further development.