Citation Nr: 18155812
Decision Date: 12/06/18	Archive Date: 12/06/18

DOCKET NO. 14-10 200
DATE:	December 6, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for a right hip disorder, to include as secondary to service-connected thoracolumbar spine or bilateral knee disabilities is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
Entitlement to service connection for a right hip disorder, to include as secondary to service-connected thoracolumbar spine or bilateral knee disabilities is remanded.
The Board previously remanded the Veteran’s claim for a right hip disorder in January 2018 to obtain a VA examination to address whether the Veteran has a right hip disability that is at least as likely as not related to service, to include as secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine and bilateral knee disabilities.  The Board noted that the Veteran had previously been diagnosed as having right hip tendonitis/bursitis in an October 2010 VA examination, but the examiner did not provide an etiology opinion with respect to that condition.   
The Veteran subsequently underwent a March 2018 VA examination, in which the examiner determined that the Veteran did not have a current right hip disorder.  However, the examiner does not appear to address the Veteran’s October 2010 diagnosis of right hip tendonitis/bursitis referenced in the previous Board remand.  As the examiner failed to address all relevant evidence of record, a remand is necessary to obtain a new VA examination to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s right hip disorder.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
Schedule the Veteran for a VA examination by an appropriate clinician who has not previously examined the Veteran to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed right hip disorder. 
The examiner is asked to determine if the Veteran currently meets (or met at any time during the pendency of this appeal, even if currently resolved) the criteria for a diagnosis of a right hip disorder.  The examiner must clearly identify any right hip disorder found at any time during the course of the appeal (to include right hip tendonitis/bursitis).
If the examiner finds the Veteran currently does not, and did not at any time during the course of the appeal, meet the criteria for a diagnosis of a right hip disorder (in particular right hip tendonitis/bursitis), the examiner must explain why the right hip diagnoses reflected in the record during the course of the appeal are not valid diagnoses.
For any such right hip disorder found, the examiner must opine as to whether the Veteran’s disorder is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent or greater probability) the result of disease or injury in service.  If not, then the examiner must opine as to whether the right hip disorder is at least as likely as not (a) caused by or (b) aggravated by his service-connected back and bilateral knee disabilities. 
The opinion must explicitly address both causation and aggravation to be deemed adequate.  The medical specialist is advised aggravation means the service-connected disability caused an increase in the severity of an existing nonservice connected disability.  Critically, if aggravation is found, the medical specialist must attempt to establish the baseline level of severity of the right hip disorder prior to aggravation by the other service-connected disability. 
An explanation must be given for any opinion expressed and the foundation for all conclusions should be clearly set forth.
 
M. HYLAND
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	B. Reed, Associate Counsel