Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Veteran claims service connection for a left shoulder injury sustained in service. The case is being remanded to secure treatment records and conduct an examination to determine the nature of his current left shoulder disability and its likely etiology.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran now has a current diagnosis of arthritis of the bilateral shoulders, which may be related to his in-service complaints of shoulder pain.

The Veteran's service-connected SFW scars of the left arm and shoulder are currently rated at 10 percent each, which is the highest evaluation available under DC 7804. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as there is no evidence of limitation of motion or other functional impairment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for benign hypertrophy of the prostate was denied as there is no evidence that it had its clinical onset in service or is otherwise related to active duty. The Board found that VA has discharged its duty to assist the Veteran in obtaining evidence necessary to substantiate his claim.

The Board has remanded the case for a supplemental opinion from the May 2011 VA compensation and pension examiner regarding whether there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the preexisting left shoulder disorder was not aggravated by service.

The Board found that the Veteran's complaints regarding his bilateral ankles, knees, left shoulder, and abdominal muscles are not related to his active military service.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating claim for his service-connected right shoulder impingement syndrome is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of VA policy regarding painful motion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the bilateral shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and low back were denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease/degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left foot pes planus with arthritis, posttraumatic arthritis of the left shoulder, and pes planus of the left foot, collectively render him unemployable.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination addressing the Veteran's contentions and private opinions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and determining if the Veteran receives worker's compensation benefits. The TDIU portion of his claim will also be addressed.

The Board is remanding the case due to issues with representation and outstanding VA treatment records need to be obtained.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for right shoulder disability and neck disability. The Veteran's current hearing loss is presumed to have developed due to noise exposure during service, while the evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or aggravation for his right shoulder and neck disabilities.

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

The Veteran's right shoulder strain and low back strain are not considered to be related to her service, including as due to an undiagnosed illness from her Gulf War service.

The Veteran's cervical paraspinous and trapezious muscle myofascial pain is granted compensation under 1151, but his left shoulder acromioclavicular arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, and left testicle and leg disability (ilioinguinal nerve neuritis) are not related to the horseshoeing accident.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right shoulder disorder is not related to his period of service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal was denied in part, including his request to reopen a claim for service connection for traumatic cataract of the right eye. The remaining issues were also denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's cause of death was related to his military service or any service-connected disabilities, including his use of Vioxx and other COX-2 drugs.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed shoulder, elbow, back, and seizure disorders.