Hip decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the cases of left hip disability and bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again with new copies of their STRs if available.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hip disability and an increased rating for the Veteran's right knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease leading to current disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, lower back disability, bilateral hip disability, hepatitis C, and migraines due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right and left hip disabilities as secondary to service-connected bilateral knee strains. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's current hip disabilities are more likely due to normal aging rather than his service-connected knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right hip disability, left hip disability, and psychiatric condition (to include PTSD) due to incomplete development of evidence and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations. The Veteran's claims of service connection for neck and bilateral hip disabilities are being reviewed.

The Board has granted service connection for an upper back disability, but denied service connection for left knee, right knee, and right hip disabilities.,There is no current evidence of a left or right knee disability at any time during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete examination reports and outstanding medical records. The issues of service connection for lower back, right ankle, left foot, right foot, and right hip disabilities are being remanded as well as the issue of service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right and left hip disabilities are not service-connected, but has ordered a remand to gather more information about potential in-service injuries.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to issues related to service connection for thyroid disorder, prostate cancer, and degenerative bone disease. The Veteran's exposure to jet fuel, other environmental toxins, and asbestos is conceded. He claims exposure to herbicide agents while working as an aircraft mechanic and flight crew chief at Travis Air Force Base (AFB) and Dover AFB.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his low back disability, bilateral hip disabilities, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma. The claims will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran was granted TDIU for the period from February 17, 2015 to January 28, 2019 due to service-connected disabilities of degenerative arthritis of the lumber spine, left hip condition with limited flexion, bilateral knee replacements, hypertension, ischemic cerebral vascular accident, left hip osteoarthritis with trochanteris pain and hearing loss. The effective date was set at February 17, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a cold injury of the right foot, amputation of the right little toe, and bilateral hip disability have been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding the cause of the Veteran's bilateral hip condition and its relation to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, bilateral pes planus, bilateral hallux valgus and bilateral hip disabilities, to include as secondary to service-connected bilateral feet disabilities due to insufficient development of evidence regarding the onset or relationship of these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for reopening of previous final denials of service connection for various conditions, including endometriosis, hysterectomy, elbow and hip conditions, lupus, skin condition, wrist conditions, hair loss, joint pain, shoulder condition, neurological disorder, vision condition, upper respiratory condition, memory loss, and fatigue. The Board also remanded the issue of an earlier effective date for service connection for diarrhea.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for COPD, left hip disability, and sciatic nerve disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information provided by the VA examiner regarding the Veteran's left hip disability, its relationship to his service-connected lumbar spine and/or left knee disabilities, and whether there has been any incremental increase in the disability or additional impairment of earning capacity resulting from either condition.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was present before service and not aggravated by or during service, thus denying service connection.,There is no evidence that the Veteran’s lumbar spine disability is secondary to his service-connected costochondritis. The Board finds it unrelated to service on a direct basis as well.,Similarly, there is no evidence that the Veteran's right hip and left hip disabilities are secondary to his service-connected costochondritis or related to in-service injury. They are found not to be related to service.,The Veteran’s heart disability was denied due to lack of medical evidence linking it to service-connected costochondritis.,TDIU claim is denied as the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, cervical spine disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing a nexus to his period of active service.,Service connection was also denied for left ankle disability and right ankle disability.