Hip Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a lack of consideration of the Veteran's report of continuity of symptoms following service. The claim is being returned to the examiner who provided the July 2011 opinion for clarification.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability and remanded it for further development.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary prior to its adjudication of the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities. The case is REMANDED for a new VA examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left knee disability. The claims for right hip and left hip disabilities are pending with further development required, while the issue of initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records from his service separation to the present, verifying whether he is still alive, and obtaining SSA disability benefits records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hip and back disabilities are reasonably related to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues except arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran has coronary artery disease, presumed to have been incurred due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right hip disabilities, finding no evidence of a direct relationship to service or secondary to service-connected left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including new VA examinations and consideration of her claims for service connection on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection for right hip disability, and psychiatric disability were denied. The denial of the psychiatric disability claim is due to a lack of evidence showing it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder, left hip, right hip, and pelvis disabilities are at least as likely as not related to his period of active service. As such, these conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a bilateral eye disability related to active service, and his sleep apnea is not related to active service. Hypertension was presumed due to Agent Orange exposure but is not considered secondary to any service-connected condition. The low back/hip disability and skin cancer are also not related to active service or secondary to any service-connected condition.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for service connection for a right hip disability and denies it. The Veteran's current right hip disability is not shown to be related to his service-connected back disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for a psychiatric disorder (PTSD) and bilateral hip conditions are granted, with the exception of her right hip condition which is pending further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a bilateral knee disability has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a left hip disability and GERD has been granted with an initial rating of 10 percent.,The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a skin disability has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for a left ankle disability has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection has been granted with an initial rating of 40 percent.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature, extent, onset, and etiology of the Veteran's claimed right hip disability. The Veteran seeks service connection for his current right hip disability on both direct and secondary bases.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, left knee disability, right hip disability, hemorrhoids, hepatitis C, and hypertension, cannot be granted as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's left hip disability, post-total left hip replacement with chronic left iliopsoas tendonitis and left leg length discrepancy, has resulted in markedly severe residual pain. The VA determined that a 70 percent rating is appropriate over the entire appeals period.

The Board has granted service connection for low back and hip disorders on a secondary causation basis, as they are aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected bilateral patellofemoral syndrome. The claim for service connection of the bilateral foot disorder is remanded to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a right leg disability, finding that the Veteran did not have a current right leg disability. The rating for limitation of extension and flexion of the right knee was increased.