Hip Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal to reopen his PTSD claim is granted. The Board finds that the submitted evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim, as it includes statements describing additional stressor events in service and newspaper clippings confirming one such event. However, further development is needed for the other issues due to lack of STRs.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip, left hip, and right knee disabilities as well as hypertension due to incomplete examination reports and the need for additional medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for right and left hip conditions due to a lack of adequate rationale in the VA medical opinions provided.

The Board has dismissed the issue of an effective date prior to July 27, 2015 for the grant of service connection for an unspecified depressive disorder. The remaining issues have been REMANDED for further action.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, bilateral knee, and bilateral hip conditions due to a lack of evidence showing that these conditions began during or as a result of her active military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and the Veteran's left hip condition is being reviewed again for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for a right rib fracture, service connection for hearing loss, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, a right hip disability, and left hip disability have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for neck, right ankle, right knee, and left knee disabilities, as well as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine, right hip, and left hip disabilities. The Board found that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hip disability, which is claimed as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for right hip condition and left hip condition due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the ratings for low back disability and left hip disabilities, resulting in the dismissal of these claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including back disability, neck disability, right hip disability, sleep disability (including sleep apnea), hypertension, migraines, and TBI. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a direct link between these conditions and his time in service.

The Veteran's left hip disability was denied as not related to service. The initial rating for TBI with lazy eye and head injury remains at 10 percent, despite the March 2018 VA examination indicating level '1' impairment in multiple facets.,Service connection for migraine headaches is granted effective January 24, 2018, but no earlier date can be established as there was no intent to file a claim prior to that date.

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for left hip disability, to include a secondary to a back disability, must be remanded due to inadequate VA opinions and incomplete treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disability, left hip disability, and low back disability due to inadequate medical opinions regarding secondary service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a right hip condition, finding that his pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disability and denied increased ratings for GERD, but granted an increased rating of 30% for GERD effective March 11, 2015.,The Veteran's claims for right knee and left knee DJD were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for left hand disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. The Veteran did not have arthritis of the hands or hips in service or within one year following discharge from service. There is no evidence linking current disabilities to service.,There was a dog bite injury during service that resulted in scarring but no chronic left hand disability. The VA examiner found no evidence of arthritis and attributed symptoms to neuropathy unrelated to the in-service dog bite.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral open angle glaucoma, bilateral cataracts, kidney disability, heart disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. Service connection was granted for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The appeals for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, and personality disorder have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims.,The appeals for increased ratings of right knee chondromalacia and right hand minimal motor and mild sensory loss have also been dismissed.