Hip decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia, right hip disability, and low back disability due to insufficient evidence in the record regarding their etiology. The VA will obtain medical opinions to address whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to other disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for radiculopathy of the pudendal nerve, left hip disability, and right hip disability as secondary to service-connected back strain with degenerative changes and associated residuals.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability was reopened and granted. The pelvis disability, diagnosed as chronic sacroiliac sprain/hypermobility, is also granted.,The remaining issues of service connection for right hip and left hip disabilities are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the issues of service connection for various disabilities, including back disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, Type II, left hip disability, right hip disability, right knee disability, diverticulitis, sepsis, residuals of breast cancer, status post double breast mastectomy, and mastectomy scars. The Veteran's representative has requested that the VA examine her for these conditions to determine their relationship with her service-connected total hysterectomy, removal of uterus and both ovaries.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for hip and knee disabilities due to incomplete records, inadequate VA examinations, and failure to address certain criteria in the rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and need for additional examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back, right and left hip, and right and left knee disabilities. The claim for PTSD was denied.,A remand is required to address the Veteran's eye disability claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot condition, left hip condition (previously denied as hip and knee condition, now claimed as bilateral hip condition), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected residuals of fracture fifth left toe.,Service connection was also denied for radiculopathy of the left and right knees as secondary to a lower back injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, finding that there was no evidence of a direct link to service or any other presumptive basis. The examiner concluded that the low back condition did not have its onset in service and is not related to any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, hip, and ankle disabilities due to a lack of an adequate opinion regarding whether these conditions are caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened, and he is now service-connected for lumbosacral strain, left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left hip condition, and right hip condition. His increased rating claims were denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, carpal tunnel syndrome of the upper extremities, hip and knee disabilities, and eye disability (glaucoma) are being remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right hip disability. The Veteran's service connection claim for a right hip disability is now before the Board again.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of 30 percent or more for bilateral hip disabilities have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal through his authorized representative.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck, back, left hip, right knee, carpal tunnel syndrome of the bilateral upper extremities, and headache conditions due to inadequate examinations and failure to address certain aspects of his claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been denied as there is no evidence of current tinnitus or a diagnosis thereof.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), erectile dysfunction, left knee condition, right hip condition, and hypertension have all been remanded due to incomplete development in the schizoaffective disorder claim.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the remand instructions and thus the case must be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied the remaining issues of service connection. Service connection is granted for tinnitus as it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure, which includes parachute jumps and Ranger training. The low back disability, left foot disabilities (including callouses and bunions), right foot disabilities (including callouses and bunions), right hip disability, and left knee disability are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during service or are related to in-service injury, event, or illness.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims related to his right ankle, hip, cervical spine, migraine, and knee disabilities. The VA examinations are deemed inadequate due to lack of proper range of motion testing and failure to address flare-ups.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disability and a left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of pre-service conditions or clear and unmistakable aggravation during active service. The current disabilities are not related to service.