Hip decisions — 2024

The Veteran's low back disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right hip disability is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left knee osteoarthritis is granted as service-connected.,An initial non-compensable rating for allergic rhinitis remains unchanged.,An initial non-compensable rating for sinusitis remains unchanged.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities due to her total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The appeals are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for back, right hip, and left hip disabilities due to duty-to-assist errors. The psychiatric disability claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed because he is already receiving a combined schedular rating of 100% for his service-connected disabilities, which means he does not have any single disability rated as totally disabling and thus does not meet the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hand disability, left hip disability, left wrist disability, pseudo-folliculitis barbae (PFB) with scarring, and sinusitis. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or due to his time in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in the prior VA examination, and will need to schedule an appropriate VA examination to determine if the Veteran has a current left hip disability related to his service.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for lower back disability, headache disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability. The Veteran's request to withdraw her appeal regarding sleep apnea was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hand condition (trigger finger), left hip condition, right knee condition, and left knee condition have been denied.,There is no persuasive evidence of a current disability in any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for left hip disability, including as secondary to a service-connected left knee disability. The Veteran's service treatment records show complaints and findings related to his left hip during service. However, the VA examiner's opinion is deemed inadequate due to reliance on inaccurate facts.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral foot disability, left knee and hip disabilities, right shoulder disability, IBS, and headaches. The reasons provided include lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for low back disability and left hip disability are dismissed. A 50 percent disability rating is granted for bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for further research regarding his exposure to toxic substances. The claims will be reconsidered with additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus has been granted, and the Board is dismissing it. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, right shoulder disability, right elbow disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability are being remanded due to procedural errors in obtaining medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a left hip disability as secondary to service-connected right leg and ankle disability due to inadequate opinion in February 2021.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for right hip disability and bilateral peripheral venous insufficiency/varicosities as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability, along with a rating appeal for post-operative scars of the right knee and right ankle and left iliac donor bone graft scar, have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request to withdraw his appeals.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is a continuation of her increased rating claim for back disability, which was granted on November 20, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence shows she has been unable to work due to her service-connected disabilities since then.

The appeal for service connection of thoracic spine degenerative arthritis is dismissed. The issues of right hip disability and left hip disability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions. The claims are related to various hip disabilities, respiratory issues, and headaches.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding service connection for a right hip condition/pain and secondary service connection. The claim will be returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus has been granted, and the Board is dismissing it. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability, right shoulder disability, right elbow disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability are being remanded due to procedural errors in obtaining medical opinions.