Shoulder decisions — 2012

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, rated at 50 percent since September 28, 2010, is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of an injury to muscle group VI, right (dominant), status post total shoulder arthroplasty are currently rated at 60 percent and no higher. The Board finds that the current rating adequately reflects the severity of his disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the right shoulder is being remanded due to insufficient evidence and a need for further examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disorder and a left shoulder disorder, but further development is needed to address the merits of these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current degree of disability of his right shoulder and obtaining treatment records from the Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury VAMCs. The issue of entitlement to TDIU will also be addressed.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability, neck and shoulder disabilities, and hepatitis C. The evidence submitted since the final decisions is new and material, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its likely etiology and whether it is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability more nearly approximated limitation of motion of the right arm midway between side and shoulder level for the entire increased rating period, warranting a 30 percent disability rating under Diagnostic Code 5201.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding that it was aggravated beyond its normal progression during his active duty service. The skin condition is currently under consideration as part of the same appeal.

The Board has determined that further development is required, including scheduling the Veteran for a Travel Board hearing. The appeal will be remanded to the RO.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and left shoulder scar have been denied. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability, and an initial compensable rating is also not warranted for his service-connected left shoulder scar prior to July 22, 2009 or on and after that date.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any right shoulder disorder diagnosed on examination, including whether it clearly and unmistakably existed prior to his last period of active duty (January 2005 to January 2006), if related to service, or was aggravated during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of his cervical spine and shoulder disorders, as well as any aggravation by service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records. The Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder disability, low back disability, allergic rhinitis, and residuals of an ingrown toenail are still pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss, impingement of a nerve (claimed as thoracic outlet syndrome and bone abnormality of the shoulder blade), dislocation of the right elbow, chronic fatigue syndrome, cervical spine disorder, and costochondritis. The decision is based on direct service connection without any presumption or secondary theory.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right shoulder disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disorders due to lead poisoning and is considering whether new evidence supports reopening these claims. The issues of service connection are mixed, with some conditions granted and others not.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for neurological disabilities, including those of the right shoulder, hand/fingers, jaw/swallowing, neck, and eye conditions, is being remanded due to incomplete medical opinions and a need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gastrointestinal disability and left shoulder disability were not incurred in or aggravated by military service, as there is no evidence of worsening during service. The preexisting conditions are found to be unrelated to military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and scheduling the Veteran for new examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed hearing loss, right shoulder tendinitis, and bilateral wrist strains.