Shoulder decisions — 2014

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The back disability was also found to be incurred during active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from February 1997 to August 2006 and since March 2012. The appeal is now pending again with the AOJ.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability and left foot scar have been evaluated, but the evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims of service connection for left shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder. The appeals are therefore considered as having merit.

The Veteran requested to withdraw the appeal, thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraines, bronchial asthma, lumbosacral strain, left arm radiculopathy associated with cervical strain, right shoulder acromioclavicular degenerative joint disease, residuals of a right wrist injury with fibrositis, left ankle injury, tinnitus, sinusitis, left knee injury, and cervical strain, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's TDIU rating was granted effective January 14, 2009. The Board found that a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis should have been granted as early as November 19, 2006.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder and low back disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during his military service. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, effective September 23, 2013. The rating reflects the severity of his symptoms since that date.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disability is not service connected as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the current condition is not related to active duty service.,Further examination and opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran's gout and any diagnosed foot conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including low back, neck, right shoulder, and right foot disabilities, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's request for a hearing was not addressed, and the case is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling under the rating criteria for limitation of motion. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on current evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination reports and new evidence may be needed for a proper determination of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a chronic low back disorder and diabetes mellitus type II with multiple symptoms. The claims were not reopened for other conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right shoulder and left elbow disabilities are not related to service, while his bilateral wrist and foot conditions do not have a nexus to service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not due to any service-connected disability. The Board did not find evidence that any of his service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to the cause of death.

The VA examiner found no evidence of a service-connected right shoulder, elbow, or forearm disability. The Veteran's reported injury during service did not result in any documented medical findings or treatment for these conditions.