Citation Nr: 22036726
Decision Date: 06/27/22	Archive Date: 06/27/22

DOCKET NO. 17-30 681
DATE: June 27, 2022

REMANDED

Service connection for a left hip disability is remanded.

REASONS FOR REMAND

The Veteran served on active duty from November 1981 to November 2001.

The Veteran appeared for a hearing before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge in February 2021. The hearing transcript is associated with the claims file.

Service connection for a left hip disability

In February 2022, the Board remanded the claim, in part, because a December 2021 VA medical opinion failed to provide any rationale or analysis regarding aggravation. See El Amin v. Shinseki, 26 Vet. App. 136, 140 (2013). 

A March 2022 VA medical opinion found the claimed condition was less likely as not aggravated beyond its natural progression by his service-connected conditions. The clinician's rationale was there is no medical evidence the Veteran's service connected right hip, left knee, and/or lumbar spine disabilities aggravated the left hip beyond its natural progression.

A medical opinion must support its conclusion with an analysis that can be considered and weighed against other evidence. See Stefl v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 120, 124 (2007). The Board requests an addendum opinion with supporting analysis addressing whether the Veteran's left hip disability is aggravated beyond natural progression by his service-connected disabilities.

The matters are REMANDED for the following action:

Obtain an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician regarding whether the Veteran's left hip disability is aggravated beyond its natural progression by his service-connected right hip, knee, and/or lumbar spine disabilities.

The clinician is asked to consider the contention his left hip is secondary to service-connected disabilities due to altered gait. See August 2016 Report of Contact.

If citing to medical literature, the clinician is asked to discuss the findings in relation to the Veteran's specific condition and individual circumstances.

 

 

KELLI A. KORDICH

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	T. Winkler, 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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.