Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Veteran's skin condition and shoulder disorder were not found to warrant a higher rating or service connection, respectively.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and neck injuries are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of his claims based on VA records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, a back disability, skin disorder, hernia condition, desmoid tumor condition, rectal cancer with proctoctolectomy, and left arm/shoulder disorder. The decision is based on the presumption of exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is satisfied with the current rating for his cervical spine disability and therefore, the appeal in this matter must be dismissed. The claim of service connection for a left shoulder disability was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic left shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right shoulder disability, including degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, is at least as likely as not related to his active service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of shrapnel wounds to the neck, back, right shoulder and arm, as well as a low back disorder, are denied.,Service connection was granted for residual scars due to shrapnel wounds. However, service connection for a low back disorder is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a left shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disability, and denied his increased rating and TDIU ratings.

The Veteran does not have a left shoulder disability that is attributable to active duty service and the Board finds that service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disorder, manifested by limitation of flexion and recurrent subluxation, and left knee disorder, manifested by limitation of flexion. The Veteran's left shoulder strain is also found to be related to service.

The evidence does not show that the Veteran's septic arthritis of the right shoulder is related to his active military service, including a shrapnel wound injury. The Board finds that the claim for service connection must be denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining private medical records and providing VA examinations for her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings are being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and to obtain outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee chondromalacia patella, left knee effusion, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The Veteran's lumbar strain/myositis, left shoulder degenerative joint disease with impingement, and plantar fascia fibromatosis were all rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board found that the evidence does not demonstrate an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and thus denied service connection for this condition. The other issues were also denied as there was no diagnosis of a current disability.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is found to be related to his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO in Los Angeles, California.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inconsistencies in the medical records and need for additional evidence regarding the appellant's service connection claims.

The Board finds that the Veteran was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities since March 1996, and grants an effective date of March 25, 1996 for the award of a TDIU.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, tinnitus, and asthma were all granted service connection. The initial ratings for tinnitus and asthma are set at noncompensable and 30 percent, respectively.