Hip decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and relationship of his disabilities to military service. The VA will provide addendum opinions on these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantial gainful employment, as evidenced by his continued full-time employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and new theories of entitlement raised by the Veteran's representative.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hip disability, and lumbar spine disability. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injuries and his current diagnoses.

The Board denied service connection for left hip, right hip, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing their onset in or during service.,The Veteran's current hip and knee disabilities are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records and to clarify his reported in-service hospitalization. The claims for service connection are therefore being remanded.

The Board has remanded two issues for further development: service connection for a left foot disability and service connection for a right hip disability, to include as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to previous remands and new evidence.

The claims for service connection for OSA, heart disease, left knee disability, and right hip disability have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board has determined that additional medical examinations are needed as the current state of the Veteran's disabilities is not reflected in the existing records.,The Veteran’s testimony at his hearing indicates he may be related to service-connected PTSD for OSA and right foot injury, and secondary service connection claims need to be evaluated.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete records from Kincheloe Air Force Base.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, TBI, left hip disability, and left knee disability. The claims are now remanded to obtain VA examinations and determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's left ear sensorineural hearing loss and low back disability are granted service connection. The Veteran's right hip disability is remanded for further examination, and his right ear sensorineural hearing loss claim is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and outstanding VA treatment records. The issues include back disability, cervical spine disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hip disability, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), disability manifested by impaired balance, fatigue, memory loss, bilateral hand disability (claimed as hand tremors), speech disability, and bilateral eye disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right shoulder disability, neck disability, and right ankle disability are not rated higher than the current assigned ratings.,Service connection was denied for the right hip, leg, and groin disabilities.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 20 percent from December 22, 2017. The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability and bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence. The decision remains pending on these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, low back condition, right ankle condition, and right hip condition as secondary to his service-connected right medial meniscus tear due to insufficient opinions regarding aggravation of these conditions by his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and has denied service connection for this condition. The remaining issues are remanded due to incomplete medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for right and left hip disabilities as well as a right leg disability, finding that the Veteran did not have these conditions in service or until many years after separation. The evidence does not support a link between any current hip or knee issues and military service.

The Veteran's appeal of his initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Board has remanded the remaining issues due to the need for additional development.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for osteoarthritis with residuals, compression fracture T10 and L2. The claims for service connection of cervical spine disability, headaches, right hip disability, left hip disability, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling VA examinations. The issues include residuals of a left leg fracture, right hip condition secondary to residuals of a left leg fracture, and bilateral knee condition secondary to residuals of a left leg fracture.