Shoulder decisions — 2014

The Veteran's total combined rating for service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, rendering him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for an orthopedic examination to assess the current severity of his left shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder strain, lumbar spine disc bulge with stenosis and facet arthritis, and left knee retropatellar pain syndrome with MCL thickening, Pellegrini-Stieda lesion, and chronic changes are all related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, schedule new VA examinations for his PTSD and right shoulder disability, and attempt to obtain SSA records. The claims will be readjudicated based on the evidence.

The Veteran's current sinusitis can be reasonably disassociated from his active military service, but the Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection for sinusitis. The claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting VA examinations to assess his right shoulder disorder and service-connected Lyme disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spine degenerative joint disease and spondylosis, as well as left shoulder degenerative joint disease, finding that there was no evidence to support a secondary relationship between these conditions and his service-connected left knee degenerative joint disease.,The Board also denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease, right hip degenerative joint disease, left hip degenerative joint disease, and lumbar spine degenerative joint disease.

The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder disability and his active duty military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to outstanding treatment records and service personnel records, as well as consideration of new evidence submitted after the RO's most recent adjudication.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a right finger/hand injury, but further development is needed due to ongoing symptoms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right ear hearing loss and a left hand disability. The evidence did not meet the criteria to establish current disabilities for VA purposes.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for TDIU, with his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left shoulder disability is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder injury is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back strain and bilateral shoulder strain began during his military service, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and right foot disabilities have been reopened, but the evidence does not support a grant of service connection.,Service connection has not been established for any psychiatric disability, to include PTSD and depression.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder and low back disorder did not begin during service or within one year of discharge, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The current disorders are considered to be due to natural progression of degenerative joint disease.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for her pulmonary disorder, chronic sinus disorder, and bilateral shoulder disorder. The conditions are not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to reassess the severity of his PTSD. His right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis claim has been withdrawn due to receipt of a higher rating.