Hip decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hip, knee, and cervical spine disabilities as secondary to a lumbosacral strain due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of recent VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hip disability, but the issue of an initial compensable rating for pelvic fracture is remanded due to the Veteran submitting a timely Notice of Disagreement.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral shoulder and elbow disabilities. The decision is final as these conditions have not been diagnosed or shown to be related to service.,For the remaining issues, including left ankle, knee, and hip disabilities, the Board has found that VA needs to provide a medical examination to determine if there are current disabilities and whether they are related to service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including TBI with vertigo, left hip disability, right hip disability, left ankle disability, and scalp neuropathy. The matters will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's headaches, low back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right ankle disability are all granted as secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left and right hip conditions due to a lack of an opinion on whether these conditions are related to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran is also denied service connection for his bilateral knee conditions, as well as hypertension.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability due to the lack of evidence of a current diagnosis. The cases of bilateral foot and hip disabilities, as well as PTSD, are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for her left hip disability has been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to improper filing of a VA Form 10182, Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the previous opinions and a need for additional information regarding whether the Veteran's right hip disability is related to service or his left ankle disability.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; asbestosis; asthma; bilateral hearing loss; left shoulder disability; right shoulder disability; low back disability; left hip disability; and right hip disability are all denied. The claim for service connection of the right knee disability is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is found to have caused his left hip and left knee disabilities, leading to the grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary due to the Veteran's claims for service connection involving her right elbow, right hip, left hip, low back, sinus, and hypertension conditions. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records from rheumatologists and undergo examinations to determine the nature of these conditions.

The Board has remanded three claims: service connection for right hip, knee, and foot disabilities as secondary to service-connected degenerative arthrosis of the lumbar spine. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate nexus opinions provided after VA examinations in August 2019.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for a chronic disability to account for incontinence. The decision on the left hip disability remains denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's sleep apnea, vision disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, and right hip disability are not related to service. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ankle and low back disabilities have been granted.,The Veteran's claims for secondary service connection for right and left hip disabilities to pes planus have also been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability and left hip disability, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the August 2019 decision dismissing the appeals for service connection for bilateral hip arthritis and bilateral knee arthritis contained an error, denying due process to the Appellant. The case is being remanded for further review.