Hip Board decisions

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hip and right ankle disabilities have been dismissed. The appeal for tinnitus has been granted. Appeals for initial ratings of anxiety disorder and CAD are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence of unemployability based on service-connected disabilities, and referred it for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lower back, right knee, and right hip disabilities, as well as radiculopathies of the right and left lower extremities. The remand is due to concerns about the adequacy of a previous VA examiner's opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hip disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to the condition and noting that the Veteran's STRs did not show any complaints or abnormal pathology of the left hip. The Board also found that the Veteran's assertions linking his current hip disability to service were insufficient to trigger VA's obligation to obtain a medical opinion.

The Veteran's service connection for PTSD was granted with a 50% evaluation effective January 14, 2015. The Veteran is seeking an increased rating and/or an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of right knee, left hip, and eye disabilities have been reopened. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations in excess of 30 percent for her service-connected left and right hip disabilities, as she withdrew these claims prior to a decision.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is related to his service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.,His orchiodynia has been manifested by complaints of chronic pain, but no associated impairment of function.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left hip disabilities, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disability. The VA examiners opined that there was insufficient medical evidence to support a link between the hip disorders and the service-connected bilateral ankle disorders.,For PTSD, the Board denied an increased rating beyond 30 percent, citing occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity but not meeting the criteria for higher ratings of 50%, 70%, or 100%.

The Board has remanded the claims for a bilateral hearing loss disability, left hip and left foot disabilities due to the appellant's election to have the appeal processed by the Decision Review Officer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 30, 2006 for his TDIU due to unemployability caused by service-connected disabilities. The Board found that it was not factually ascertainable that the Veteran became unemployable within a year before filing his claim.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is granted. The claims for low back disability and CAD are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD has been reopened, and the Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to support these claims. Service connection is granted for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders).

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for back disorder and remanded all other issues related to her hip conditions, stomach condition, tension headaches, and unspecified urinary tract condition. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back, right hip, and left hip conditions due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, back disability (secondary to a knee disability), left hip disability (secondary to a knee disability), and right hip disability (secondary to a knee disability). The decision was based on the absence of evidence showing that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right hip disability, finding that it began during his active military service and affording him the benefit of doubt.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,For his coronary artery disease, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 28, 2017 and 30 percent from that date onwards. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on METs levels or other criteria.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder and lumbar spine disorders, and peripheral neuropathy. The issues are related to whether these conditions are secondary to a service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for left hip disability and TDIU due to the failure to provide adequate reasons or bases in the October 2018 decision. The Veteran is required to undergo a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left hip disability.