Shoulder decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling VA examinations to address the claims of service connection for various disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 30 percent prior to October 11, 2013. Since then, he has been granted a 50 percent rating effective October 11, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing records from a chiropractic clinic and VA Medical Center.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for left shoulder and left hip disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, right shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, migraine headaches, and gastrointestinal disability have been denied.,New evidence has reopened the claims for service connection for right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on several service-connected disabilities and for service connection for additional conditions has been withdrawn. The Veteran's daughter, M.E.W., is recognized as the 'helpless child' of the Veteran for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a Travel Board or videoconference hearing. The rating for the service-connected left shoulder disability remains unchanged.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining an opinion regarding the etiology of his heart disability and addressing whether he has a right shoulder disability or greater occipital nerve neuralgia that are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, sciatic radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, intervertebral disc syndrome (claimed as low back condition), scars, degenerative joint disease of both knees, degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, hypertension, tinnitus, bilateral nasal pinquecula with dry eyes, hernia, ear pain, and erectile dysfunction, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities alone are at least in equipoise as to whether he is unable to obtain or maintain such employment.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective July 8, 2012. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any period of time.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal due to incomplete development of records. The case will be returned for further action, including obtaining quality-assurance records and providing a VA examiner with additional evidence to address these records.

The Veteran's bilateral knee and shoulder disabilities were not incurred in service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The VA denied the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment prior to July 15, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of joint pain in the left shoulder is related to his service-connected cervical spine condition and has granted service connection for this issue. The claim for cardiac arrhythmia with chest pain was denied as there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis is rated at 10% since July 16, 2009. Service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is needed to determine if there is a nexus between the Veteran's in-service complaints of shoulder pain and his current bilateral shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension, right shoulder tendonitis, and left shoulder tendonitis are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and updated medical records.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for TMJ, but denied the remaining claims.