Hip decisions — 2021

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for left hip disability, to include a secondary to a back disability, must be remanded due to inadequate VA opinions and incomplete treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disability, left hip disability, and low back disability due to inadequate medical opinions regarding secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a right hip condition, finding that his pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability and denied increased ratings for GERD, but granted an increased rating of 30% for GERD effective March 11, 2015.,The Veteran's claims for right knee and left knee DJD were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for left hand disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. The Veteran did not have arthritis of the hands or hips in service or within one year following discharge from service. There is no evidence linking current disabilities to service.,There was a dog bite injury during service that resulted in scarring but no chronic left hand disability. The VA examiner found no evidence of arthritis and attributed symptoms to neuropathy unrelated to the in-service dog bite.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral open angle glaucoma, bilateral cataracts, kidney disability, heart disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. Service connection was granted for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The appeals for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and personality disorder have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims.,The appeals for increased ratings of right knee chondromalacia and right hand minimal motor and mild sensory loss have also been dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of left wrist fracture has been denied.,A separate rating of 10 percent for left thumb arthritis with painful limitation of motion is granted.

Service connection is granted for bilateral pes planus. Service connection is denied for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right elbow/arm, left elbow/arm, right hip, left hip, and left knee disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's back and left hip disabilities are related to service, including any incidents during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right hip and right knee disabilities are related to service, including his service-connected right ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hip condition and low back disability due to secondary service-connected right and left knee disabilities. The cases need further development with addendum opinions from qualified examiners.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for a lower back condition has been granted. The issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for a right hip disability, and service connection for left hip and lower back conditions have been remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral flat feet, low back disability, right knee disability, and tinnitus. Service connection was denied for a right hip disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of SSA records, which are relevant to the Veteran's claim for benefits. The VA needs to obtain these records and associate them with the claims folder.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's back disability, right hip and left hip disabilities, entitlement to SMC, and TDIU. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee, left knee, lumbar spine degenerative joint disease and disc disease (low back disability), left shoulder disability, and left leg/hip disability due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hip condition is dismissed because the issue has been resolved in his favor. The low back disability claim is denied as it is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. His TDIU claim is granted effective October 24, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to a lack of service treatment records and personnel records. The Veteran is advised to provide any additional information needed for the search.