Shoulder decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examination reports and need for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities. The issues of initial increased ratings for TBI, posttraumatic headaches, and insomnia are also pending.

The claim for service connection for hypertension has not been reopened due to the lack of new and material evidence, but the claim for a low back disorder was reopened.,The Veteran's low back disorder is considered direct service connection as there is no evidence showing it occurred in or was caused by service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's service connection claims, including obtaining records from military treatment facilities and clarifying her status as a dependent. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, initial compensable rating, and service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the hypertension and PTSD claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and issuing a statement of the case for the increased rating claim. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability and lumbar strain service connection claims are also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral shoulder disability, low back disability, sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, eye disability (undiagnosed illness), sleep apnea (undiagnosed illness), chronic fatigue syndrome (undiagnosed illness), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeal was also denied regarding the reopening of a claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that there is no diagnosed right shoulder disability present during the period of this claim, and thus service connection for a right shoulder disability cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's combined rating for pension purposes is 40 percent, which does not meet the schedular requirements for nonservice-connected pension benefits. The evidence does not demonstrate that he is permanently and totally disabled from nonservice-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical evaluation and records. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine and left shoulder disorders are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected right humerus fracture residuals, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disorder, cervical spine, left ankle, right great toe, and left shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left and right knee disabilities, shoulder disabilities, cervical spine disability, and other conditions, collectively preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding his employability.

The Veteran's right and left hip disorders, bilateral pes planus, right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder are all found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a cervical hernia, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, or degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine in service. The Veteran's PTSD and right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis were granted with effective dates based on information available at the time of his original claims within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his bilateral shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as a need for another VA examination of the right eye corneal scar.