Hip decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations due to insufficient evidence regarding his hip disabilities, headaches, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The Veteran will need new VA examinations to determine if he has these conditions and their severity.

The Veteran's service connection claim for sleep apnea has been granted. The Board finds that his currently diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea began during his active duty service and grants the claim. Other issues related to right hip, left knee, right knee, left shoulder, right shoulder, and low back disabilities are remanded due to inadequate VA examination records.

The Board has granted service connection for a left hip disability and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip and left knee disabilities as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability due to lack of evidence showing onset or aggravation during service, continuity of symptomatology, or a link between the current conditions and the service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right hip disability and hearing loss as they are related to service-connected ankle and knee disabilities. The claims will be reviewed with new medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities, particularly those related to his right ankle disability.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hip disabilities, as well as his radiculopathy and neuralgia. The Veteran is also seeking increased ratings for these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right hip condition may be related to service, but more development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for left hip, right hip, lumbar spine, left shoulder, and left ankle disabilities has been granted. The claims of service connection for left hand disability are also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities, nor is there any evidence to suggest such conditions began during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Board also found no relationship between the Veteran's bilateral hip disability and active service or service-connected disabilities. The examiner opined that the current diagnosis of bilateral iliopsoas tendonitis is less likely due to service.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided are inadequate, and thus remanding for further development to obtain additional medical opinions addressing the etiology of the Veteran's low back disability, left shoulder disability, left hip disability, left knee disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip and left knee conditions due to insufficient medical evidence addressing the relationship between his current disabilities and service.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from January 7, 2017 to August 1, 2020 due to his service-connected right hip and bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's back and left hip disabilities, finding that they are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a bilateral hip disability due to its potential secondary nature to his service-connected left knee disability. The case is sent back for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral leg and hip conditions, including radiculopathy, is being remanded due to the need for additional development. The claims are related to secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions provided by VA examiners.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and opinions regarding his service-connected headaches, left hip disability, left shoulder disability, and tenosynovitis of the left hand. The appeals are related to the merits of the claims rather than new evidence or a presumption.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and missing VA treatment records. The claims are being returned for further development.