Hip decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right hip disabilities due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. An additional VA examination is required to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability existed prior to service and was not aggravated by military service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for rosacea, peripheral artery disease, right knee strain, left knee strain, commuter bowel syndrome (IBS), disabilities of the lumbar spine and thoracic segments of the spine, and a right hip disability. The claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations to assess the severity of his PTSD and to determine if he has left hip, left knee, or right knee disabilities that are related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development and clarification of his service connection, TDIU, and hip disability claims. The Veteran is seeking to reopen his claims for bilateral knee and elbow disabilities, as well as a hip disability, all potentially related to his flat feet disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral hip condition, and bilateral shoulder condition due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran contends his conditions are related to service, but there is conflicting evidence regarding the motorcycle accident that may have caused his current conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for migraine headaches is denied as her headaches do not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.,Service connection for right hip and left hip disabilities are both denied due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities during or proximate to the appeal period.,The Veteran's service-connected sciatica is found to aggravate her claimed hip disabilities, but VA regulations prohibit providing compensation twice for the same symptomatology.

The Board denied service connection for back, right hip, and left hip disabilities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right great toe disability. A rating of 20 percent was granted for the period beginning December 30, 2019 for right ankle strain.

The Board has determined that additional medical examination and opinion are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection of his right shoulder, left knee, and right hip conditions due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including TBI-related issues and bilateral hip/knee conditions, were denied as the evidence did not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to incomplete records and need for further medical examination.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims of rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthrosis of the right hip, rating in excess of 40 percent for osteoarthrosis of the left knee, service connection for a left hip disability, to include on a secondary basis, and SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance or for being housebound.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate medical opinions in prior decisions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including higher staged initial ratings for cervical spine and thoracic discogenic disease, as well as claims of service connection for bilateral hip, ankle, knee, upper extremity, and lower extremity disabilities. The remand also includes a request for additional opinions on whether these conditions are secondary to other service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for his right hip and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations in September 2014 and May 2019, which did not comply with the requirements of Correia v. McDonald (38 C.F.R. § 4.59) and Sharp v. Shulkin (29 Vet. App. 26).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection, and TDIU due to missing VA examinations. The claims will be further developed with new examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities, finding that additional development is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service or his service-connected low back disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of outstanding treatment records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of service connection and evaluation for various disabilities, including PTSD with panic attacks. The Veteran will be afforded VA examinations to address these claims.

The Board has decided to remand three separate claims for service connection due to the lack of medical records from a U.S. Air Force hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany and the need to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).