Shoulder decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a personal hearing, and no hearing has yet been conducted. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for further review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10 percent rating for his right shoulder disability cannot be granted as there is no evidence of increased severity within one year prior to his March 27, 2009 claim.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his active service, including carrying heavy rounds of ammunition on his shoulder during Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and right shoulder osteoarthritis are still pending and require additional development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and verifying the appellant's periods of active duty. The issues on appeal are whether the appellant is entitled to service connection for his claimed back, left leg, and shoulder conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding records and providing new examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of current back, right knee, and right ankle disabilities. The appellant's claims for service connection for headaches, neck disability, shoulder disability, right knee disability, and right ankle disability are also being reviewed.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess his PTSD symptoms and employability.

The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine and DJD of the left shoulder, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood that these conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining or following substantial gainful employment before September 7, 1994. The Board has remanded the case for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and bilateral shoulder disorders are related to his service, warranting service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder dislocation, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher evaluation based on the criteria provided.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing VA examinations to assess the Veteran's right shoulder disability, migraine headaches, and PTSD.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a diagnosed disability for which service connection can be granted, including bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder condition, chest, cough and lung condition, or radicular pain of the left posterior hip. As such, the claims are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and for a new VA examination to assess the current level of impairment due to his service-connected left shoulder tendinosis and right shoulder DJD.

The Board has received a withdrawal of the appeal from the appellant's authorized representative, thus dismissing the appeal.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is due to disease or injury incurred in active service, and grants the claim of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability.