Hip decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left hip disability as secondary to service-connected disabilities and for TDIU. The Veteran's lay statements indicate that his right tibia fracture, right knee arthritis, low back pain, and bilateral lower extremity disabilities have caused him to shift weight from his right leg to his left, resulting in a left hip disability.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a skin disability, chronic fatigue, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD and major depressive disorder), a right shoulder disability, and bilateral hip disability have been remanded due to the need for additional development. The VA will conduct a Gulf War examination to assess whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's exposure to environmental hazards during his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations. An addendum opinion is also needed regarding the acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip and left leg disabilities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active service or service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right hip disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic disability in service or within one year after separation from active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

Service connection for bilateral shin splints is granted.,Service connection for right hip condition/pelvic pain/compression arthralgia is denied.

The Board denied service connection for right thigh, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities. The claim for bilateral foot disability (to include pes planus) is remanded to obtain a VA examination.,The Board also denied service connection for abdominal disability, to include abdominal scars. An addendum opinion from the July 2017 VA examiner is needed to determine if the cause of the Veteran's 1970 laparotomy and appendectomy (resulting in an abdominal scar) was related to his active service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of left hip disability, right hip disability, and PTSD due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities based on the Veteran's in-service ankle injury. The medical evidence supports a finding that these disabilities are related to his military service.

The Veteran requested the withdrawal of their appeal regarding five specific service connection issues for various shoulder and thumb disabilities, which has been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his hip condition, asthma, and lumbar stenosis.

The Board has granted service connection for various joint disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the left ankle, right knee, left knee, right hip, left hip, and right shoulder. The issues related to a right ankle disability have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right hip disability and chronic headache disability, including as secondary to service-connected bipolar disorder. The Veteran will need to provide medical releases and undergo examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these disabilities.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and right hip disability are granted, but the Board has remanded for further development regarding a higher rating for major depressive disorder and TDIU.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip disability and for nonservice-connected pension benefits due to lack of qualifying wartime service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip disability and a right knee condition, both of which he contends are secondary to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of various disabilities, including attention deficit disorder, loss of teeth, vision loss in the right eye, atherosclerosis, bilateral hip disability, and peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's service connection claims are not granted at this time.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back, neck, and left hip disabilities due to a lack of current diagnoses during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee disability, left hip and low back disabilities, and TDIU due to issues with the evaluations of his service-connected conditions and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's left hip and right knee conditions are granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee condition.,Service connection for a right hip condition is denied.