Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of left hip disability, back disability, left shoulder disability, right eye blindness, and basal cell carcinoma, right cheek including secondary to inservice exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Travel Board hearing on his claims of service connection for left shoulder, elbow, and ring finger disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran wishes to withdraw his appeals regarding service connection for right shoulder tendonitis and a left shoulder disability. The diabetes mellitus, type I, is rated at 100 percent due to its severity.

The Veteran is found unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including determining the appropriate diagnostic codes for his fibromyalgia manifestations and considering if combining separate ratings would provide a higher evaluation than the current 40 percent rating.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and his scar on the right shoulder is separately rated at 10 percent. The Board denied an increased rating for both conditions.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, were incurred during active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, lung condition (to include pneumonia), chronic eye pain (both eyes and a history of horseshoe tear of left eye, status post-right eye laser repair), and chronic bone and body pain (bilateral shoulder pain; arm, neck, back, and wrist pain).

The Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the claims for increased ratings are denied as his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and private treatment records. A VA examination is also needed to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed back, neck, shoulder, and headache disabilities, as well as an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder and knee disabilities have not been shown to warrant a higher disability rating based on the current evidence of record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.,The Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities that would qualify him for these benefits.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder, lumbosacral spine strain, and right knee disorders. However, these claims are still in dispute as new evidence submitted by the Veteran does not conclusively establish that his current conditions were incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain VA treatment records from the Poplar Bluff VAMC and a medical opinion regarding whether any current right shoulder disability is related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the relationship between current right shoulder disorders and service. The Veteran's claim for service connection remains pending.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 30 percent, effective February 8, 2012. The Board finds that the evidence supports a higher rating for this period.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling an orthopedic examination. The appellant's service connection claims will be adjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran's cause of death, small bowel ischemia, was found to be related to his service-connected varicose veins and PVD. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death based on direct service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations.,The Veteran reported having various disabilities, including foot problems, sinus issues, back pain, head injuries, hand/elbow/arm pain, shoulder problems, psychiatric conditions, and a heart condition. The Board will review these claims in light of all available evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased disability evaluations for degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder and cervical spine with disc herniation prior to a decision being made.