Hip Board decisions

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hip disability related to service, either on a direct basis or as secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right knee disability, headaches, lower back disability, bilateral hip disability as secondary to the lower back disability, neck disability, and left knee disability. The appeal was dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeal for the claim for entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability.

The Veteran's left hip disability is currently rated at 50 percent, effective June 4, 2009. The claims for service connection of sciatica and cervical spine disability are denied as there is no evidence that these conditions are related to the service-connected hip disabilities.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hip disability is as likely as not secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a right hip disability, a left knee disability, and disabilities manifested by pain in the left ankle/foot and right ankle/foot (other than from the service-connected right foot drop).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disability and an increased rating for his right knee disability, finding no evidence to support these claims. The Veteran was also not granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a right hip disability that is the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by his period of active duty training (ACDUTRA) from June 17, 1980 to September 9, 1980. The VA examiner found no evidence that any pre-existing right hip disability was permanently aggravated or worsened beyond normal progression during the appellant's ACDUTRA.

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding service connection for low back and bilateral hip disabilities, specifically whether they are aggravated by service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disability and liver disorder have been denied as they are not related to his active duty service or any other factor. His diabetes mellitus has not required regulation of activities, and his knee disabilities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's appeal was granted for a rating of 30 percent for PTSD with a mood disorder, effective April 11, 2014. The Board found that the Veteran timely filed an appeal regarding his initial 10 percent rating for PTSD and established service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to GERD and hiatal hernia.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the Veteran's incarceration and incomplete medical records. The right hip disability and acquired psychiatric disability claims are both in need of additional examination and review.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with the Board's previous remand directives. The case will be returned for further examination and readjudication.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and has continued since. The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was aggravated by service, as evidenced by significant threshold shifts in his audiometric results from before and after service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings for various service-connected disabilities has been withdrawn. The Veteran is now granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) from June 29, 2010 to February 26, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate consideration of certain criteria and functional limitations. The case must be returned to the AOJ for this purpose.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including rescheduling of VA examinations and obtaining private treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip disability is not related to service and is not secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's right shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities have been rated based on their current severity.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with a previous remand directive. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, bilateral hip, and low back disabilities. The preponderance of the evidence shows that these conditions did not manifest during or as a result of his military service.