Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal, which was dismissed by the Board.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current right shoulder disability and whether it is related to his service-connected back condition.

The Board found no credible evidence of any right shoulder injury or chronic problems during, or continuing since, service. The only medical opinion on the question of whether there exists a medical nexus between right shoulder disability first manifested many years post-service and service weighs against the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral defective hearing, inner ear disorder, disorders of the legs and hands, gynecomastia with residual scar, degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with compression fracture of the thoracic spine, and degenerative joint disease of the right great toe has been denied. The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn for the issue of higher evaluation for gynecomastia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right shoulder disorder, finding no evidence to support her assertion that she experienced such condition during or immediately following service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development of her claims, including obtaining more recent VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for spondylosis and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, but denied service connection for residuals of a left clavicle muscle strain (Hill-Sachs deformity of the left shoulder with rotator cuff tear).

The Veteran's left shoulder disability has been rated at 10 percent since December 30, 2009. The current rating is appropriate given the limitation of motion to shoulder level.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches, a low back disability, and a right shoulder disability. The conditions were not diagnosed in service or related to service.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left rib disability, as well as his left shoulder injury. The RO must also obtain all outstanding medical records from various VA facilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hip and shoulder avascular necrosis disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, are not proximately due to or the result of any service-connected disability, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by service to include as due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of his VA benefits due to his dementia diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and requests a new opinion from an orthopedic physician regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral knee and shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's service connection for bicipital tendonitis of the right shoulder was granted, and he is currently rated at 10 percent for his left ankle disability. The initial ratings for his low back and cervical spine disabilities remain unchanged.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right arm/shoulder disability was not incurred in service and is not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, is denied as there is no evidence of a stressor related to combat. The claims for other conditions are also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disturbance and an initial compensable evaluation for right shoulder disability. The evidence did not support current diagnoses of these conditions, and there was no chronicity of symptoms since separation from active service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board found the Veteran credible in his assertion that he experienced tinnitus since service, and resolved reasonable doubt in his favor.