Hip decisions — 2021

The claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability, foot disability (claimed as blisters or blood poison), respiratory disability (COPD), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiac/heart disability, right lower extremity PVD, left lower extremity PVD, right lower extremity DVT, left lower extremity DVT, embolism, cellulitis, right ulnar peripheral neuropathy, and left ulnar peripheral neuropathy have been granted. The claims for service connection for right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, back/spine disability, and left eye disability are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran's right hip disability is aggravated by his service-connected left knee disabilities and for adjudicating the TDIU claim in conjunction with the right hip disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives and the need for additional medical opinions. The TDIU claim is deferred until the other service connection claims are resolved.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hip disability had its onset during his military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of her left hip, ankle, and back conditions due to inadequate examinations in June 2019. The issues include determining whether these conditions are related to active service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and a need for further development, including a VA examination for service connection claims.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis was granted. Service connection claims for right foot and left foot Achilles tendon conditions, right knee disability, left hip disability, and OSA were all denied or remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PFB, left knee disability, right knee disability, sleep apnea, IBS, acid reflux disability, hemorrhoids, low back disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, pes planus, left foot disability, right foot disability, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability. The issues of service connection for these conditions are REMANDED.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right hip conditions due to the need for additional development, including an MRI of the hips.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left hip and left knee disability, finding that there was no evidence of any injury or disease during active service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip disability, calcium deposit, and lumbosacral spine disability due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of irritable bowel syndrome was denied. The Board also remanded the issues regarding whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen previously denied claims for a right hip disability, left shoulder disability, Arnold-Chiari malformation with syringomyelia, and a left arm condition.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of bilateral hip, knee, and big toe conditions due to incomplete medical records and inadequate examination opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, neck, low back, and left hip conditions as there is no competent evidence linking these disabilities to service.

The Veteran's service-connected back disability, along with other disabilities, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from May 17, 2014. He is also entitled to special monthly compensation at the housebound rate for this period.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted for bilateral hip disabilities and sleep apnea, but denied for a scalp condition. The decision also remanded the issues of service connection for left and right hip disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right hip disabilities, finding that they are related to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, elbow, wrist, hand, and shoulder disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions began during or were otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hip conditions have worsened and remanded for further evaluation to determine the current severity of the disability. The RO is also instructed to obtain any private treatment records from his provider.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's back disability was not incurred in or due to his time in service, nor is it proximately due to any of his service-connected disabilities. For his left knee disability, the rating assigned did not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent. His residuals of a gunshot wound were rated appropriately under DC 5311. The Veteran's left and right hip disabilities were also rated appropriately under DCs 5003-5251.