Hip decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral foot, leg/knee, hip, headache, psychiatric, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service events.

The Board denied service connection for chronic cardiac disability, left shoulder condition, left leg condition, and left hip condition as there were no current disabilities found in the record.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification of medical opinions regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination. The issues include right hip disability, related knee and ankle conditions, depression and anxiety secondary to the hip condition, and IBS secondary to the hip condition.

The Board has granted service connection for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, but remanded the issues of right hip disability and tremors due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a right hip disability, right ankle DJD, back disability, and psychiatric disability. The issues of increased ratings for knees are also being remanded.

The Veteran's memory impairment is service connected on a secondary basis to her service-connected mental health conditions. The claims for PTSD, carbon monoxide poisoning, respiratory condition, right hip condition, and allergic rhinitis are denied as there is no evidence of these conditions in service or related to the Veteran's military service. Hearing loss is granted based on VA criteria.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for a left hip condition as secondary to service-connected left knee strain with patellofemoral pain and osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety condition and panic disorder), a low back condition, and a right hip condition have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,New evidence has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for a low back disability, a right hip condition, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied service connection for back, left ankle, bilateral knee, and right hip disabilities as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by service.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of degenerative arthritis in his knees, ankles, and hips are considered to be due to natural aging and excess weight rather than being proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected feet conditions.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, neck disability, bilateral hip disability, and bilateral knee disability. However, it denied these claims as there is no evidence linking any of these conditions to service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The claims for elbow, hip, and knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a chest disability, respiratory disability, back disability, and right hip disability due to incomplete compliance with prior remand directives. The issues are now pending before the AOJ.

An effective date of May 28, 2009 is granted for service connection of a left hip disability. Service connection for right and left ankle disabilities are denied. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is also denied.

The Veteran's right hip disability is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess its severity.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting a VA examination. The Veteran's current hip disability is not service-connected as it did not have its onset in service or within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral feet, right knee and left hip disabilities due to in-service diagnoses and functional limitations preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hip condition, right foot condition, and left foot condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, right hip, and cervical spine disabilities based on the Veteran's credible reports of in-service injuries.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for his right hip condition, including as secondary to his service-connected degenerative disc disease of lumbar spine. The decision is based on a duty-to-assist error in not obtaining a VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s right hip condition or whether it was aggravated by his service-connected degenerative disc disease of lumbar spine.