Shoulder decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claims have been adjudicated multiple times, and the Board is unable to determine which specific issues are still in dispute. The appeal has been rendered moot by the grant of service connection for allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a left upper extremity disorder, which he attributes to his military service. The case is remanded due to unclear etiology and the need for a supplemental medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder strain, dry eye syndrome, and contact dermatitis have not been shown to warrant a higher initial disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining private treatment records from his last visit with a physician at IMA Rheumatology in Tupelo, Mississippi.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability has been rated based on the severity of his symptoms and limitations, but it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board found that the current ratings adequately reflect the functional impairment caused by the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying the examiner's opinion regarding muscle injury or other soft tissue injury to the left biceps.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder with left arm weakness and left shoulder disorder did not begin during service or are otherwise related to his military service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The RO must review this evidence, including a recent medical opinion from Dr. Hiler, and readjudicate the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of his claimed conditions, including athletes feet, hypertension, head injury, migraine headaches, chronic eye condition, back condition, arthritis (claimed as arthritis of the back, shoulders, hips, and legs), and chronic pain in both hips. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 40 percent disabling under the criteria for limitation of motion, which represents the highest schedular rating available. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 40 percent has been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his low back disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claimed left shoulder, left knee, and bilateral wrist disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board denied these claims as the evidence did not support a direct link to his military service.

The Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied service connection claims were unsuccessful as no new and material evidence was presented for any of the conditions he sought to reopen.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and left hip arthritis are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has determined that the criteria for reconsidering a prior denial of service connection for right shoulder and right knee disabilities have been met, granting the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral shoulder disabilities.

The VA physician found that the service-connected conditions (right forearm amputation, left hand injury, scar on nose, and left shoulder arthritis) did not substantially or materially contribute to the Veteran's death from end stage renal disease due to congestive heart failure. The Board therefore denied the claim as there was no evidence of a relationship between the service-connected disabilities and the cause of death.

The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff impingement is found to be secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability. The claim for a higher rating for the left shoulder disability and TDIU are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to allegations of increased severity of the Veteran's left shoulder disability since her last VA examination. The claim is being returned for a new examination to determine the current severity of the disability.