Hip decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hip disability and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's statements regarding his duties in service, including lifting heavy equipment, are considered relevant.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing all issues related to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left and right hip disabilities, heart condition, knee disabilities, residuals of heat stroke (including TBI and cognitive defect), and migraine headaches. The reasons provided include a lack of current diagnoses for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records and the need for additional medical examinations. The appeals are now pending before the AOJ.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, lumbar strain, bilateral lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, and bilateral hip disability on the basis that these conditions are related to active duty service due to aggravation of preexisting disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased evaluations of left hip disability, right hip disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and obstructive sleep apnea as the Veteran filed a Supplemental Claim before filing the VA Form 10182 appeal. The March 2025 VA Form 10182 was an impermissible concurrent election.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo, hypertension (high blood pressure), an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right shoulder condition, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction have been dismissed or denied. However, the Veteran was granted service connection for hypertension as due to service, and his claims for secondary service connection for MDD and anxiety have been granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in ears). The evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a link to service.,For the right and left hip disabilities, the VA examiner found no diagnosed conditions. For bilateral hearing loss, the Veteran's audiograms showed normal hearing. For tinnitus, the VA examiner determined it was transient ear noise rather than a diagnosable condition.

The Board has determined that the claims of service connection for right hip condition and sleep apnea need further examination and opinion due to procedural errors in the initial decision. The Veteran's right hip condition may be secondary to a service-connected musculoskeletal disability, but this needs clarification through a new VA medical opinion. For his sleep apnea claim, there is insufficient evidence of its onset during service or being related to any incident of service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral foot, hip, knee, and back disabilities, as well as a skin disorder, lung disability, and acquired psychiatric disorder, have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of these conditions during his period of active service or recent to the filing of the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left total knee replacement.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence to readjudicate the claim of service connection for right hip disability. The Veteran testified about his military experience, symptoms, and pain since discharge from service. As a result, the case is remanded for further consideration.

The Veteran's appeal of his claim for service connection for a right hip condition has been dismissed because the Veteran and his attorney withdrew their appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an erroneous medical opinion regarding the onset of the Veteran's right hip disability. The claim will be reconsidered with a new examination and evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination for the Veteran's right hip disability claim, as it is related to service.

The appeal for service connection of a back condition, claimed as lumbar spine strain with degenerative arthritis, is dismissed due to procedural error. The appeals for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and right hip condition are remanded.

The appeal concerning a higher evaluation for service-connected TBI has been withdrawn. The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD, left hip condition, and right knee condition have all been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for brucellosis and related secondary conditions must be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the initial rating decisions. The Veteran was exposed to Southwest Asia during his military service, but the medical opinion provided did not adequately address this exposure.