Hip decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete procedures and will proceed under the legacy appeals system.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The Board has also remanded cases involving service connection, TDIU, and special monthly compensation.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to the Veteran's failure to submit a completed VA Form 21-8940, which he believed was not necessary because his service-connected disabilities already meet the eligibility criteria for a TDIU rating. The Veteran should be given another opportunity to clarify his employment history and complete the application.

The Board has dismissed all the appeals regarding service connection and rating for various conditions, including tinnitus, neck disability, knee and hip disabilities, ankle disability, depressive disorder with panic disorder, and back disability. The decision is due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities due to insufficient development, including verifying periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), obtaining private treatment records from Dr. Dernian, and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that there has not been substantial compliance with the previous remand directives and thus, another remand is required for further development of the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee, left hip, arthritis of the right hand and fingers, and arthritis of the left hand and fingers disabilities as there is no evidence of chronicity within one year of separation from active duty.,The appellant's lay history of symptomatology related to his claimed disorders throughout the appeal period was considered. However, service treatment records do not show any noted symptoms at separation.

The Board has granted service connection for nerve disabilities of the right and left lower extremities, as well as a right hip disability. The Veteran's claims for knee and ankle disabilities are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection is established for nerve disabilities of the right and left lower extremities, and a right hip disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip conditions, as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability and right femur disability. The VA examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's bilateral hip conditions were proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted as service-connected. The left hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, right hip disability, and left ankle disability are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected back disability caused or aggravated his right hip disability. The AOJ is required to obtain a new addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for postoperative pilonidal cyst, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression) secondary to his service-connected postoperative pilonidal cyst, and service connection for back, left hip, right hip, left knee, and right knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, bilateral hips, and bilateral knees are also being remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to his service-connected postoperative pilonidal cyst. An addendum opinion will be required to address this issue.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for direct service connection of her right knee, left knee, and left hip disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to her active duty service.,There is no medical evidence showing that any of the Veteran's knee or hip disabilities were present during her military service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is inadequate to resolve these claims and remanded them for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's knee and ankle conditions, as well as his bilateral pes planus and hallux valgus. The claims for service connection are being addressed, along with rating increases and initial ratings.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his previously denied claims for bilateral knee disability, left eye disability (to include residuals from corneal abrasion), and psychiatric disorder. The appeals for service connection for headaches, a bilateral hip disability as secondary to bilateral knee disability, digestive disability, and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, OSA as secondary to his deviated septum, and right hip strain.,Service connection is also granted for the Veteran's right knee disability as a contributing factor to his right hip strain.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability, finding that it was aggravated by his service-connected right hip disability. The decision is based on a VA examination report and the Veteran's testimony.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to uncertainty regarding her dates of service and need for VA examinations.