Hip decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development and need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left hip disability, including its relationship to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development regarding the Veteran's bilateral hip disability. The claim to reopen service connection for a lumbar spine disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities, as secondary to her service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The VA examiner will need to provide addendum opinions addressing whether any diagnosed hip disability had onset during service or is otherwise etiologically related to service, and whether it was caused by or aggravated by her service-connected knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and further development is needed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee conditions, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected bilateral foot disability.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, and right knee disabilities secondary to a service-connected left knee total arthroplasty. However, these claims have been denied as there is no evidence showing that the current conditions are related to active service or the service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's right hip disability and GERD.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and increased rating for hip disabilities, as well as a remand for a back disability, is being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claimed conditions, including muscle pain and various joint and foot disabilities, are not service-connected as they do not meet the criteria for service connection under direct service connection rules.

The Board has decided that the claims for service connection of left hip disability, right knee arthritis disability, and left knee arthritis disability need to be remanded due to new evidence being added to the file.

The Board has found that the AOJ did not substantially comply with prior remand directives and has therefore ordered a remand for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left lower extremity disability clearly and unmistakably pre-existed service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a back disability and bilateral hip disability are also inextricably intertwined and have been remanded as well.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right hip disability and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate opinions on service connection. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his right hip disability, which he contends began during service or was aggravated by a pre-existing right ankle disability. For his bilateral hearing loss, he contends it is related to noise exposure in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a bilateral eye condition, a left shoulder condition, a left arm condition, a bilateral hip condition, vertigo, and kidney stones. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU from December 1, 2013, to February 23, 2015. For other periods, his combined disability rating was sufficient for TDIU.

The Board has denied service connection for right foot, left foot, and wrist conditions. The Veteran's bilateral hip and shoulder conditions have been granted.,Service connection was not established for the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of left, right knee disabilities and hip disabilities as well as low back disability. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's left hip condition and his service-connected right knee condition.

The Veteran's service-connected right lower extremity disabilities are found to have caused his current left hip and left knee disabilities, which are granted as secondary to the service-connected conditions. The issue of TDIU is dismissed due to the effective date already being assigned.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, insomnia, psoriasis, a low back disability, a right knee disability, and a respiratory disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA opinions regarding whether the Veteran's left hip disability is secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The Veteran contends that his fall and injury were caused by his service-connected left knee giving out.