Hip decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current disabilities are related to a November 2008 VA injection.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete compliance with a previous remand directive. The primary issue is determining the precise location of a retained foreign body (RFB) at the right buttocks, which may be related to the Veteran's claimed right hip and pinched nerve disorders.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding the effective date of SMC based on loss of use of the right lower extremity, which is related to service-connected right hip and pelvic asymmetry disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral total hip replacements, finding that the Veteran's current disability is related to his military service. The decision also grants reopening of the claim of service connection for bilateral hip disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip condition, as secondary to his service-connected gunshot wound of the right leg. The VA examiner found no current diagnosis of a hip condition and concluded that there is no link between the hip condition and the service-connected right leg condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed bilateral hip condition. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an adequate opinion from a clinician, other than the one who conducted the December 2019 examination, regarding the Veteran’s bilateral hip condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, bilateral knee condition, and bilateral hip condition due to inadequate examinations and lack of consideration of certain evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidentiary development regarding the Veteran's left knee disability. The AOJ is required to obtain additional medical opinions and update the Veteran's VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and bilateral hip disability due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran is seeking service connection based on his in-service injuries, as well as post-service onset of symptoms.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting evidence regarding whether his exostosis and related disabilities were incurred in service or pre-existed. The case will be further developed with a new examination.

The Board has found that the Veteran has shown good cause for missing VA examinations related to his service connection claims. The Board has therefore ordered new VA examinations to determine if any of the claimed conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gunshot wound residuals and scars, hip pain and numbness, knee pain, PTSD, and skin rashes due to herbicide exposure. The appeals are granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right hip disabilities did not have their onset during service, are not related to an injury or disease in service, and therefore denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board has dismissed all claims related to service connection for various conditions, including left knee and hip disabilities and congestive heart failure.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot, ankle, knee, hip, elbow, shoulder, and low back disabilities. The appeal is being remanded due to inadequate or incomplete previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right hip disabilities, finding that the VA examinations were inadequate and did not address all relevant factors.

The appeal for high cholesterol is dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues of hypertension, right hip disability, left hip disability, TBI residuals, seizure disability, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for a left hip condition is dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hip disability and left knee disability, as secondary to service-connected right knee disability due to lack of clear and unmistakable evidence regarding their onset in service or etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral hip disability, a back disability with bilateral lumbar radiculopathy, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The Board found that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service.