Citation Nr: 21023666 Decision Date: 04/21/21 Archive Date: 04/21/21 DOCKET NO. 14-43 212 DATE: April 21, 2021 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability is remanded. Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hip disability is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran served on active duty from November 1984 until March 1988. This case comes to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a July 2012 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regional office (RO) rating decision. The Veteran participated in a hearing before the undersigned in October 2019; a transcript is associated with the claims file. In January 2020, the Board remanded the claims for further development, specifically, to obtain VA examinations. 1. Entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability 2. Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral hip disability In the January 2020 remand, the Board directed the VA examiner to provide an etiology of the Veteran’s left shoulder and bilateral hip disabilities which considers the Veteran’s service treatment records and testimony that these injures derived from rucksack marches and parachute jumps, as well as an in-service motorcycle accident. At the subsequent February 2020 VA examinations, the VA examiner diagnosed the Veteran with bilateral shoulder strains and bilateral hip osteoarthritis. Regarding both disabilities, the VA examiner stated that they onset in 1987 with pain after parachuting and carrying rucksacks which has continued to increase over time. The VA examiner also mentioned that the Veteran’s 1986 motorcycle accident caused him pain in both his left shoulder and bilateral hips. However, the VA examiner then opined that these disabilities were less likely than not related to service as the Veteran’s service treatment records and medical records 1-year post-service are silent for these conditions. The Board finds the February 2020 VA examiner’s rationale as to both the left shoulder and bilateral hip disabilities internally inconsistent—either these disabilities onset with pain in 1986 after a motorcycle accident or 1987 after parachuting and carrying rucksacks “which has just increased over time,” or they did not. Remand is therefore necessary to reconcile these medical findings. Additionally, upon remand, the addendum VA examiner must consider the Veteran’s February 2020 VA psychiatric examination which concluded, in part, that the Veteran’s in-service motorcycle accident resulted in his current chronic left shoulder and bilateral hip pain. For these reasons, and to comply with the January 2020 Board directives, addendum opinions are necessary for further explanation. See Stegall v. West, 11 Vet. App. 268 (1998). The matters are REMANDED for the following action: 1. Obtain an addendum VA medical opinion from an appropriate medical examiner to assess the nature and etiology of the Veteran’s left shoulder and bilateral hip disabilities. An in-person examination (or telehealth interview or similar action, if an in-person examination is not feasible) need not be scheduled unless it is deemed necessary by the examiner or otherwise required by the evidence. The examiner is requested to provide fully articulated medical opinions with respect to the following: (a) Is it at least as likely as not (a 50 percent probability or greater) that the Veteran has a current left shoulder disability which began in service, within one year of service, or was otherwise caused by his military service? The examiner must consider and discuss the Veteran’s service treatment records and his testimony (including in the October 2019 Board hearing) that he injured his shoulder due to rucksack marches and parachute jumps in-service as well as an in-service motorcycle accident. The examiner must also discuss the February 2020 VA psychiatric examination which concluded, in part, that the Veteran’s in-service motorcycle accident resulted in his current chronic left shoulder pain. Additionally, the examiner must reconcile the February 2020 VA examiner’s statement that the Veteran’s left shoulder disability onset with pain in 1986 after a motorcycle accident or 1987 after parachuting and carrying rucksacks “which has just increased over time” with the conclusion that it is unrelated to service. (b) Is it at least as likely as not (a 50 percent probability or greater) that he has a current bilateral hip disability which began in service, within one year of service, or was otherwise caused by his military service? The examiner must consider and discuss the Veteran’s service treatment records and his testimony (including in the October 2019 Board hearing) that he injured his bilateral hips due to rucksack marches and parachute jumps in-service as well as an in-service motorcycle accident. The examiner must also discuss the February 2020 VA psychiatric examination which concluded, in part, that the Veteran’s in-service motorcycle accident resulted in his current chronic bilateral hip pain. Additionally, the examiner must reconcile the February 2020 VA examiner’s statement that the Veteran’s bilateral hip disability onset with pain in 1986 after a motorcycle accident or 1987 after parachuting and carrying rucksacks “which has just increased over time” with the conclusion that it is unrelated to service. Caroline B. Fleming Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board C. Finelli, 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.