Hip decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, particularly regarding secondary service connection. The claims for cervical spine disability and associated radiculopathy, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip disabilities, and migraine headaches are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, anxiety condition, asthma (shortness of breath), obstructive sleep apnea, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, and left hip condition have all been denied. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee condition and right knee condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions. The Board found that a higher rating is warranted for bilateral hearing loss, but denied earlier effective dates for service connection of tinnitus and BHL.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right hip condition and GERD. The VA will need to provide new medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left ankle and knee disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, right wrist, left wrist, right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The Veteran's claims for service connection for libido disorder and PTSD were also denied.,There was no evidence of a verified stressor event for the Veteran's PTSD claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that new and relevant evidence was not submitted to warrant readjudication.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will consider evidence submitted after the November 2019 decision. The Veteran's right hip condition is considered a disability under Saunders v. Wilkie (2018), as she reported pain with functional impairment.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and right hip conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left hip disability, including as secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability due to insufficient evidence in the original decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and right hip conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is insufficient to establish service connection for sinus condition, right hip condition, and back condition. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions from VA clinicians.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for cervical strain, degenerative arthritis of the spine and degenerative disk disease was denied.,Service connection was granted for right upper extremity radiculopathy and left upper extremity radiculopathy as associated neurologic abnormalities of the service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered with new evidence and opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including dyslipidemia, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction (ED), chronic sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities, right hip and left hip disabilities, bilateral foot disabilities, right ankle and left ankle disabilities, right knee and left knee disabilities, and bilateral plantar fasciitis. The decision is based on the absence of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left hip disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected low back, bilateral knee, and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his hip condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, right knee, and right hip conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right hip condition, sleep apnea, and back condition due to insufficient evidence on the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied an increase in the evaluation for a low back disability and has remanded issues related to right hip disabilities, migraine headaches, and earlier effective dates. The Veteran's service-connected conditions have not resulted in compensable loss of range of motion or ankylosis.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, claimed as right hip condition, is granted. The AOJ previously denied the claim in August 2009 and has now remanded it due to new evidence submitted after the initial decision.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hip disabilities, as secondary to service-connected conditions including lumbar spine disability, bilateral knee disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The VA examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's bilateral hip disabilities were proximately caused or aggravated by her service-connected conditions.