Hip decisions — 2024

The Veteran's left hip condition, right ankle degenerative arthritis, and left ankle tendonitis are granted as secondary to service-connected lower extremity conditions.,Tinnitus is granted as secondary to acoustic trauma in service.

The Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, and allergies are granted service connection. The Board finds the evidence is at least in approximate balance for his left hip condition and numbness of the left thigh as related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claims for neck pain and a right hip condition.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, as well as back, right hip, chronic fatigue syndrome, and headache disorders. The issues are remanded due to need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip and low back disabilities have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed regarding whether these conditions are related to his active service.,The Veteran also seeks increased ratings for his right and left knee disabilities, as well as a TDIU based on his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to determine the nature and likely cause of any lumbar spine, left hip, and left knee disabilities. The issues remain in remanded status.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of low back disability, bilateral knee condition, bilateral hip condition, acquired psychiatric disability (to include depression), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been withdrawn. The case is REMANDED to obtain additional evidence and provide a VA examination.

The Veteran's headaches are found to have started in service and granted service connection.,Service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine is denied as there is no evidence it began during service.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for snoring and acid reflux have been reopened due to new evidence. The issues of entitlement to service connection for equilibrium problems, bilateral hearing loss, upper and lower teeth condition including TMJ disorder, arthritis of the entire joint system, bilateral ankle condition, bilateral hip condition, sleep apnea, bilateral eye condition (periorbital eye pain, NVS cataracts, glaucoma suspect), acid reflux, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are all remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for snoring and acid reflux have been reopened due to new evidence. The issues of entitlement to service connection for equilibrium problems, bilateral hearing loss, upper and lower teeth condition including TMJ disorder, arthritis of the entire joint system, bilateral ankle condition, bilateral hip condition, sleep apnea, bilateral eye condition (periorbital eye pain, NVS cataracts, glaucoma suspect), acid reflux, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are all remanded for further development.

The Board has ordered the case back to the RO for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection claims for various disabilities, including shoulder, hip, and neck conditions. The Veteran's contentions of in-service injury and continuity of symptoms are not adequately addressed by the VA examiners.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, right knee disability, right shoulder disability, and right hip disability due to a lack of adequate rationale in previous VA opinions and the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has determined that additional evidence needs to be reviewed by the RO, and the claims for service connection are being remanded. The Veteran's appeals include issues related to lower back disability, left hip disability, headaches (including migraines), right knee disability, and cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his right thigh condition and scar of the right thigh has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a right thigh disability has been withdrawn.,Service connection for a left eye disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis.,Service connection for a right shoulder disability is denied due to lack of causal relationship with in-service events or injuries.,Service connection for a back disability is remanded as the VA examiner's opinion was based on inaccurate facts.,Service connection for a right hip disability is remanded as there is no current diagnosis and the VA examiner did not diagnose the condition.,Service connection for a jaw disability (secondary to PTSD) is remanded due to lack of causal relationship with in-service events or injuries.,Service connection for headaches (secondary to PTSD) is remanded due to lack of causal relationship with in-service events or injuries.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral hip disability due to insufficient medical opinions. The appellant's current diagnoses are noted, but further examination is needed to determine if his conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen claims for various disabilities, including right thumb, shoulder, hip, knee, and neck disabilities as well as headaches, has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral flat feet, right knee disability, right hip disability, fibromyalgia, lupus, and PTSD due to a lack of in-service events or injuries that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the presence or onset of this condition during active duty, and it is not related to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's current hearing loss does not meet VA criteria for disability.,The Board remanded issues regarding hip condition (including sacroiliitis with joint dysfunction), right knee patellar tendonitis, left knee patellar tendonitis, and TMJD due to the need for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are granted service connection as they are related to his service-connected lumbar spine strain. The Veteran's left hip condition is remanded for further evaluation due to insufficient opinions in the previous examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip and right knee disabilities, as secondary to her service-connected residuals of a right leg vein thrombosis. The VA examiners did not address aggravation or provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's current conditions are related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for left and right hip disabilities, as well as left and right knee disabilities. A rating of 70 percent was granted for major depressive disorder from June 1, 2019 to May 13, 2020.