Shoulder decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his time as a Marine jet mechanic, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions and issues. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of frostbite, chest pain, right arm disorder, left wrist disorder, right shoulder disorder, left elbow disorder, or right foot disorder. The back disorder claim was also denied.

The Board found no evidence of a left shoulder, left hand, or right hand disability during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service records and further examination is needed.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder disorder and left hand neurological disorder, including numbness of the fingers due to lack of evidence showing a direct link between these conditions and active military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code (DC) 5201. The evidence does not show that his range of motion was limited to 25 degrees or more.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not submit claims for service connection for chronic right shoulder sprain or a monostatic benign lesion on the right tibia prior to May 22, 2007. As such, an earlier effective date is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and schedule a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current upper back and shoulders disorder is related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and an inadequate opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's neck, shoulder, and lower spine disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability with headaches and right upper extremity disability, including degenerative changes of the right shoulder. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain issue is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and determine appropriate rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be service-connected, as it was caused by noise exposure during active duty. The right shoulder and left pneumothorax disabilities are also found to be service-connected.

The Board has granted an extension of the temporary total disability rating for left shoulder surgery from April 13, 2011 to July 1, 2011. The Veteran's post-operative residuals did not meet or more nearly approximate severe postoperative residuals such as incompletely healed surgical wounds, stumps of recent amputations, application of a body cast, the necessity for house confinement, or the continued use of a wheelchair or crutches (regular weight-bearing prohibited).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for Parkinson's disease, right hip disability, right shoulder disability, low back disability (including scoliosis and associated numbness), and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no credible evidence to support his assertions regarding in-service events or injuries. The Veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to his active service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the right shoulder impingement syndrome and left shoulder disability, leaving no issues for the Board to decide.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine did not cause or aggravate his left shoulder, left hand/wrist, and cervical spine disorders. The case was remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for residuals, left shoulder disability with scar and residual scarring of left upper lobe of lung, status post radiation therapy were denied. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also denied.

The VA examiner found that the Veteran's radicular pain from neck, shoulder impingement with tendinitis, and degenerative acromioclavicular joint disease is not at least as likely as not related to his service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no diagnosed disability. The status of the claims for tinnitus, hypertension, right shoulder disability, and left collarbone disability are pending.