Citation Nr: 21072981 Decision Date: 12/07/21 Archive Date: 12/07/21 DOCKET NO. 17-49 854 DATE: December 7, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hip disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active military service from November 1981 to October 1989. This matter comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from an April 2016 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). Service Connection Bilateral Hip Disability The Veteran asserts that his bilateral hip disability was caused by active service or was aggravated by his service-connected right and left tibia disabilities. Specifically, he reports that he was involved in a tank accident at Fort Hood, Texas, when he injured his hips and was placed on light duty for a week. As for its relationship to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, the Veteran contends that his service-connected disabilities led to an altered his gait which led to hip problems. Service treatment records (STRs) are silent for complaints of, treatment for, or a diagnosis of bilateral hip disability or symptoms that could later be associated with a bilateral hip disability. Post-service evidence of record shows that the Veteran was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of both hips in 2005. At an April 2016 VA examination, the examiner opined that the Veteran's bilateral hip disability is less likely than not caused by or the result of active service, to include shin splints. As rationale, the examiner noted that there is no record of hip conditions from trauma or injury present in the Veteran's STRs and there is no objective data to support the conclusion that his bilateral hip disability was caused or aggravated by his shin splints. After this examination, the Veteran contended that his service-connected disabilities caused him to alter his gait which later led to hip problems. See VBMS, document labeled VA 21-4138 Statement in Support of Claim, receipt date August 11, 2016. There is no medical opinion addressing the relationship between the Veteran's right and left tibia disabilities and their potential impact on the development or aggravation of abnormalities in his hips. The Board notes that there is a record from November 2012 that indicates left hip pain and an antalgic gait, but no references after that date and no descriptions of the Veteran's altered gait. See VBMS, document labeled CAPRI, receipt date August 29, 2017, page 3 of 31. Therefore, an addendum medical opinion must be obtained before a decision is made in this appeal. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain the Veteran's VA treatment records for the period from August 2018 to the present. 2. Then, schedule the Veteran for a VA examination by an examiner to determine the nature and etiology of any bilateral hip disability present since January 2016. The claims file must be made available to and reviewed by the examiner. Any indicated studies must be performed. The clinician should then answer the following question: Is it at least as likely as not (50 percent or better probability) that any bilateral hip disability (since January 2016) was 1) caused or 2) aggravated by service-connected left and right tibia disabilities, to specifically include any altered gait and/or body mechanics resulting from the tibia disabilities. Note that aggravation means any incremental increase in disability in non-service-connected disabilities (i.e., any additional impairment of earning capacity) resulting from service-connected condition. A complete and detailed rationale must be provided for all opinions expressed. I. M. Hitchcock Acting Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board I. Umez-Eronini, Associate Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.