The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip disability and entitlement to TDIU, which constitutes a complete grant of the Veteran's claims. The issues of increased rating for back disability, initial rating in excess of 10 percent for TMJ syndrome, and service connection for left shoulder and left knee disabilities are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is at least as likely as not a nexus between the Veteran's bilateral hip disability and his service-connected back disability. The TDIU claim was granted based on the combined evaluation of 80 percent due to one disability rated at 40 percent or more (back disability) and sufficient additional disability to bring the combined rating to 70 percent or more.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disk disease, hip disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 29, 2015
- Citation
- 1518534
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1518534.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for back, hip, and lower extremity disabilities due to a lack of VA examination and outstanding treatment records. The Veteran's current diagnoses and lay statements will be considered in determining if his conditions are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional examinations to determine if any of his claimed disabilities are related to service. The issues include neck, low back, hip, knee, ankle, foot, joint pain, sleep condition, lung, gastrointestinal, and psychiatric disorders.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance due to his service-connected knee and hip disabilities, finding that he requires regular aid and assistance from another person since January 25, 2022.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for neck, shoulder, low back, hip, headache, and tinnitus disabilities as there was insufficient evidence of a present disability or functional impairment related to the claimed conditions during or proximate to the pendency of the claim.
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