Hip decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left hip disabilities, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not caused by his active duty service.

The Board has remanded two claims: one for service connection for left knee disability, limitation of flexion and another for service connection for left hip disability, limitation of flexion of the thigh. The Veteran's disabilities are alleged to be secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral tinnitus, right hip condition, and low back condition have been granted. The claim for respiratory condition is remanded due to insufficient evidence, and the claim for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions regarding aggravation of his conditions by his service-connected disabilities. The Veteran is required to be provided with new VA examinations addressing these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, back, bilateral hip, and neck disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,There is no current diagnosis or functional impairment documented for any of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further development and examination under the PACT Act, including an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and lack of consideration of certain theories of entitlement. The claims will be reconsidered with additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claim seeking effective dates prior to August 17, 2020, for the assignment of 10 percent ratings for his service-connected bilateral hip conditions is denied as the criteria to establish entitlement to such ratings was met more than one year prior to the date of receipt of the Veteran's supplemental claim seeking increased ratings.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a right or left hip disability, and thus the Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are denied.,For tinnitus, the Veteran was previously granted service connection but remains at the maximum schedular rating (10%). The claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent is remanded as there is no evidence to support such a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was granted. He now has a 50% disability rating for migraine headaches, bilateral pes planus, lumbar spine disability, right hip limitation of flexion, left hip limitation of flexion, right hip limitation of extension, left hip limitation of adduction, sinusitis, major right shoulder disability, minor left shoulder disability, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity (secondary to lumbar spine disability).

The Board has granted service connection for a lower back disability and remanded the left hip condition claim due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple orthopedic and psychiatric conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, right shoulder disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability are denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability (to include major depressive disorder and borderline personality disorder) is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for syncope is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection of right and left hip disabilities due to a lack of adequate medical opinion addressing whether these conditions are aggravated by a service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee and right hip disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran seeks service connection based on wear and tear from multiple parachute jumps in service, but the VA examinations did not fully address this claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for avascular necrosis, left femoral head, feet pain, eye problems, neck disability, insomnia, right knee disability, left knee disability, and right hip disability as there is no evidence of these conditions during active duty or within a year of discharge. The Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish that any of the claimed disabilities were incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation of his left foot disability, as well as his bilateral hip disabilities. The claims are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations that did not address all relevant issues.

The Veteran's low back disability is rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that it does not warrant a higher rating due to lack of evidence showing unfavorable ankylosis.,The Veteran's left hip disability is rated at 50 percent. The Board found no evidence supporting a higher rating based on severe or marked severity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the back and multiple hip, knee, ankle, and plantar fasciitis conditions, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted TDIU effective December 12, 2018.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connection for compensation purposes.,Service connection is denied for a sleep disability due to insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.