Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for further examination of the Veteran's left shoulder. The claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board denied a compensable rating for right eyebrow scars and found no current left knee disability. The claim for service connection for blurred vision in the right eye was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.,Service connection was denied for left knee disability, right eye blurred vision (previously denied), skin rash on arms, shoulders, back, and legs, bilateral shoulder disabilities, and a left eye pterygium.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities including a respiratory disability, sinusitis, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, lumbar radiculopathy, postoperative residuals of a cervical spine injury, left arm and shoulder disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), and bilateral pes planus. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for sinusitis. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine on a secondary basis. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for lumbar radiculopathy on a secondary basis. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for postoperative residuals of a cervical spine injury, status post fusion on a secondary basis. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for left arm and shoulder disability on a secondary basis. The claims are being remanded to allow for further development.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD). The claims are being remanded to allow for further development of the claim, including consideration of PTSD under Clemons v. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 1 (2009).,The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral pes planus based on a presumption of soundness due to the absence of pes planus at entrance into service and exposure to asbestos and tear gas during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied, with the exception of a 20 percent rating being granted for residuals of left shoulder sprain effective January 2007.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including low back disability, right lower extremity disability (claimed as pain and numbness), left hip disability, right hip disability, right shoulder disability, tinnitus, and left hand disability, were all granted. The decision is based on direct service connection due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's GERD is rated at 30 percent effective May 19, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence supports a higher rating for GERD.

The Board has determined that additional medical evidence is needed to determine if the Veteran's right shoulder disorder is related to his military service, including any Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) or Inactive Duty for Training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for her service-connected right shoulder and left knee disabilities were denied by the RO. The Board finds that additional development is needed to properly address these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the eligibility requirements for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to his unsteady balance and coordination issues, which are not severe enough to qualify him under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disabilities are not related to service and have therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to his active service or service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II. As a result, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and cervical/lumbar spine disabilities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The VA examinations concluded that these conditions are less likely related to his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, and his cervical radiculopathy with paresthesias and carpal tunnel syndrome of the right upper extremity is rated at 20 percent. The Board has granted these ratings.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and a right shoulder disorder, finding no new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen his previously denied claims. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability, finding that her symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on Diagnostic Codes 4.73 and 5301.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches and found that the Veteran's current headaches are related to his service. The Veteran withdrew from consideration his appeals regarding right ear hearing loss and higher initial evaluations for major depression, right ankle disability, back disability, and left shoulder disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability and granted it, finding new and material evidence to support the claim.

The Veteran's left and right shoulder disabilities have been rated based on limitation of motion. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for either shoulder prior to September 1, 2010 or from November 1, 2010 to October 19, 2011.

The Veteran was not found to be unemployable due to service-connected disabilities prior to October 2, 2008. From October 2, 2008 to September 11, 2013, the evidence showed that he was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.