Hip decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for Raynaud's syndrome, lumbar spine disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability due to insufficient development.,Service connection was denied for Raynaud's syndrome as there is no current diagnosis or functional impairment attributable to pain in both hands at any time since separation from service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left hip condition, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to events in service. The examiner opined that osteoarthritis is more likely than not the cause of the Veteran's left hip condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand instructions, particularly regarding the etiology and proximate cause of the Veteran's brain injury residuals, sternectomy complications, right hand numbness and tightness, left hip disability, and impotence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records from OPM and requests for employment medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip and back disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for a right hip disability, which is related to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's left hip disability claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a hip condition. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his service-connected back disability.,The Veteran's traumatic brain injury (TBI) claim is granted based on evidence showing he experienced head trauma during service and has ongoing symptoms consistent with TBI.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and SMC are being remanded due to deficiencies in the record existing prior to the appealed rating decision. Further development is needed, including obtaining VA treatment records from before March 2018 and a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psoriatic arthritis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, left wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), right hip, left hip, right knee, and bilateral hearing loss. The AOJ is instructed to obtain all available records from the Veteran’s National Guard service, particularly those from 2014 through his retirement in March 2018.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, right hip, left hip, acquired psychiatric, headache, and skin disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine, right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The diagnoses are related to in-service duties and/or the service-connected low back sprain.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities, as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The VA will schedule the Veteran for an examination to determine if these hip disabilities are caused or aggravated by his knee conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left hip and right knee disabilities due to insufficient examination findings and outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination regarding the Veteran's right hip disability and its relationship to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for back disability and left hip disability due to a lack of sufficient evidence. The appeal must be remanded as to all issues, in order to obtain all relevant records associated with his National Guard Service and to provide VA examinations for his back and left hip disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right hip and right leg disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a disease or injury during active service, and that any current conditions are not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for left hip, right hip, and back disabilities. However, it granted service connection for a left knee disability that is not directly related to service but was caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.,Service connection for bilateral hips and back disabilities were not established as they are not linked to active duty service.

An increased disability rating of 20 percent for the service-connected back disability from August 21, 2009 to August 24, 2020 is granted.,An initial disability rating of 20 percent for the service-connected neck disability from February 13, 2008 to August 24, 2020 is granted. An increased disability rating higher than 20 percent for the service-connected neck disability from August 24, 2020, forward, is denied.,An initial 10 percent disability rating for the service-connected left hip disability (limitation of external rotation) from August 21, 2009 to August 24, 2020 is granted. An increased disability rating higher than 10 percent for the service-connected left hip disability (limitation of external rotation) from August 24, 2020, forward, is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for cervical spine, left hip, left shoulder strain, right hip, and right shoulder strain conditions due to insufficient addendum opinions regarding their relationship to service-connected status post lumbar strain with DDD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip disability, prostate disability, and bilateral knee disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by active military service.