Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his keloid formations of the right shoulder, hands, forehead, right knee, and right foot is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and evidence in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional medical records. The current rating of 30 percent for his service-connected left shoulder disability will be reconsidered.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current left shoulder and arm disability distinct from his already service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, nor can it be attributed to an in-service injury or low back disability. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's lung disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, and diabetes mellitus, Type II were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a current disability for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder shell fragment wound residuals do not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to November 19, 2009. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is remanded as it involves an attempt to obtain an appropriate rating for his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his right shoulder disability, left shoulder osteopenia, and hypothyroidism were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before a decision can be made on the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck injury, shoulder injury, back injury, and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing the case.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining treatment records. The case will be readjudicated after all necessary steps are taken.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete records and potential need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his shoulder disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating at any point.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with a compensable evaluation for chronic sprain of the right ankle and an effective date prior to April 5, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, as he is currently employed as a substitute teacher and his disabilities limit his ability to perform manual labor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder impingement syndrome is etiologically related to her service, specifically a left shoulder injury sustained during National Guard training in April 2001. The claim for service connection for other conditions (right shoulder, cervical spine, and lumbar spine) is granted as well.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis has been rated at 30 percent since March 12, 2012. The initial rating for the condition remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service and VA treatment records dating prior to 2000. An addendum opinion will be obtained if necessary.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right shoulder impingement syndrome was rated at 20 percent, PTSD with anxiety/depression was rated at 30 percent from February 23, 2011, and the claim for a right knee disability was not supported by evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left thigh disorder characterized by numbness, were denied as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture.