Citation Nr: 18157689 Decision Date: 12/14/18 Archive Date: 12/13/18 DOCKET NO. 17-02 564 DATE: December 14, 2018 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hip disorder as secondary, to include a service connected lower back disorder is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had a period of active duty service from November 1970 to December 1972. Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hip disorder as secondary, to include a service connected lower back disorder STRs reveal that the Veteran was diagnosed and treated for his service connected lower back disorder in-service. Service connection for the back pathology was granted by rating decision of October 2015. VA outpatient treatment records reveal that the Veteran was first diagnosed with a bilateral hip condition in July 1998. The Veteran asserts that his lower back injury in-service proximately lead to his current diagnosis of bilateral chronic hip pain. In a June 1995 VA C&P general examination, the Veteran reported that he injured his left hip in-service when he was lifting a heavy radio. The Veteran also reported that he had a bone graft taken from his right hip in 1987 to repair a wrist injury. The examiner diagnosed the Veteran with chronic intermittent left hip arthralgias. The examiner noted that the Veteran hip disorder was probable secondary to overuse activity with probable chronic residual fibromyalgia. In view of the theory advanced in this case, and the recent service connection for a low back disorder, a VA medical examiner opinion is necessary to make a determination on the Veteran's claim. The matter is REMANDED for the following action: 1. Ask the Veteran to identify, and provide appropriate releases for, any care providers who may possess new or additional evidence pertinent to the issue on appeal. If he provides the necessary release(s), assist him in obtaining the records identified, following the procedures set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.159. Any new or additional (i.e., non-duplicative) evidence received should be associated with the record. If any of the records sought are not available, the record should be annotated to reflect that fact, and the Veteran and his representative should be notified. 2. Obtain copies of records pertaining to any relevant VA treatment the Veteran has received since the time that such records were last procured, following the procedures set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.159. The evidence obtained, if any, should be associated with the record. All attempts to obtain records should be documented in the claims folder. 3. After the foregoing development has been completed to the extent possible, schedule the Veteran for an examination of his hips. The examiner should review the record. All indicated tests should be conducted and the results reported. After examining the Veteran and reviewing the record, together with the results of any testing deemed necessary, the examiner must provide a full description of all symptoms and manifestations associated with residuals of the Veteran’s bilateral hip disorder, to include, as it pertains to the Veteran’s lower back disorder. The examiner is requested to prepare a detailed opinion which responds to the following matters: Taking into consideration the Veteran’s STRs, lay statements, post service VA and private treatment records, and any employment health examinations, is it as likely as not (that is a probability of 50 percent or greater) that the Veteran’s service connected lower back disorder is proximately related to, caused or aggravated the onset of the Veteran’s current bilateral hip disorder? The examiner is to specifically discuss in detail whether the Veteran’s contention that his various in-service lower back injuries may have caused the onset of his hip disorders. The examiner also requested to opine as to whether it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater) that a disability of either hip is due to any in-service occurrence or event? If the examiner cannot provide any of the requested opinions, he/she must affirm that all procurable and assembled data was fully considered and a detailed rationale must be provided for why an opinion cannot be rendered. 4. The AOJ must ensure that the examiner’s report complies with this remand and answers the questions presented in the request. The AOJ must also ensure that the examiner documents consideration of the electronic claims file, including any records contained in Virtual VA and VBMS. If the report is insufficient, the AOJ must return it to the examiner for necessary corrective action as appropriate. MICHAEL D. LYON Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD M. Elliot Harris, Associate Counsel