Shoulder decisions — 2015

The Board found no evidence of arthritis or other chronic disability within one year post-service, and the VA examiner did not find a link between current low back and shoulder conditions and service. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder condition, right calf condition, left thigh condition, and tinnitus, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's asthma, right shoulder disability, and left knee disability are all found to be related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability are not related to service. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being REMANDED due to the submission of new and material evidence. The right shoulder and left foot disabilities may be reopened, but the back disability remains denied.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and bilateral shoulder disabilities that are secondary to the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The Veteran is assigned a 30 percent rating for these conditions.

The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's left and right shoulder disabilities, finding that the symptoms were adequately described by the existing rating criteria.

The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of a right shoulder disorder and denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for left shoulder disability is granted as the condition had its onset during his combat service in Iraq. The appeal regarding the left elbow disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board also found that there is no evidence to support a right shoulder disability during his period of active duty, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is found to be related to his service-connected right shoulder disorder, and the effective date for the grant of service connection will not be changed.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a rating increase on his right shoulder condition has been withdrawn.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of left ulnar nerve decompression surgery and a current left shoulder disorder, but denied the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral and left upper extremity disorders. The decision is based on the evidence showing no direct link between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this.

The Veteran's left shoulder acromioclavicular arthritis and cervical strain are rated at 20 percent each, effective as of the date of this decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability was denied as the evidence does not show that his current condition is related to military service or a service-connected disability.,Claims for increased ratings and effective dates were also denied due to lack of factual ascertainability within one year of the September 29, 2004 claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased rating for right shoulder degenerative joint disease and service connection for a right knee disorder before the Board issued its decision. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral foot disorders and recognition of D.B. as a helpless child are being remanded.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including post-traumatic osteoarthritis, is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent. A separate 20 percent rating for limitation of motion of the right arm has been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neck, back, hip, shoulder, and knee disabilities are not related to his military service, including a motor vehicle accident in service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's initial 10 percent disability rating for his left shoulder disability was granted from September 1, 2008 to March 20, 2014. From March 20, 2014, the Veteran is now rated at a higher 20 percent.,The Veteran's right Achilles tendonitis has been rated as 10 percent disabling for the entire rating period on appeal.,The Veteran's left Achilles tendonitis has been rated as 10 percent disabling for the entire rating period on appeal.,The Veteran's status post perforated nasal septum with allergic rhinitis is rated at 30 percent, the maximum disability rating available.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. The claim of service connection for a right ankle disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. Service connection for tinnitus is also granted.