Shoulder decisions — 2014

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability has been rated at 20 percent since December 21, 2012. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating prior to this date.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral knee, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities are not related to his active service.,There is no evidence of any complaints or treatment for these conditions during service. The Veteran reported symptoms many years after separation from service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's combined service-connected disability evaluation of 90 percent effectively precludes him from securing and following substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD, right shoulder disorder, bilateral hearing loss, knee disabilities, tinnitus, and left shoulder residuals. TDIU is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is not causally or etiologically related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations and consideration of the Veteran's claims due to her current residence in Germany.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for tinea pedis and tinea cruris is dismissed. The claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury, including cervical spine/neck disorder, right shoulder disorder, and right hip disorder, was denied as new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of his left shoulder rotator cuff strain.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disability or right shoulder disability (manifested by chest pain) incurred during service. The Veteran's current conditions are not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability. The case will then be submitted to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA treatment records. The Appellant is also to be scheduled for a VA medical examination to determine the nature and etiology of his cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, and right ankle disability.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The effective date of the grant of service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome, left and right medial collateral ligament strain, and limitation of motion of the right and left knee was assigned as July 31, 1993.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU rating and that referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration is not warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his left shoulder disability and for notification regarding relevant medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his service personnel records and VA treatment records. He must also be afforded a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine, and right shoulder disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disability is at least in part related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for a left shoulder disability.,The Board has also determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise and finds service connection for hypertension is warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including low back strain and associated radiculopathy of the lower extremities, right shoulder disability, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder rotator cuff tear results in pain, stiffness and weakness with limitation of motion approximated to shoulder level. Therefore, a higher initial compensable rating (20%) is granted.