Shoulder decisions — 2015

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, conducting a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral shoulder disabilities, and issuing a statement of the case regarding his claim for a compensable initial rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before a decision can be reached on the merits of the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and left shoulder disorders.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of anthrax vaccine, finding that the Veteran's claim was not supported by sufficient evidence to reopen her previously denied claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disorder is not related to his active military service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to noise exposure during service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran. Service connection for arthritis of the shoulders is denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence of a disability at any point during the claims period.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for residuals of Asiatic flu, type II diabetes mellitus, and arthritis of the hands. The claim for service connection for arthritis of the shoulders is also reopened.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability was incurred in active military service and is granted. The issue of whether the Veteran's neck disorder is related to his service-connected right shoulder disability is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a traumatic brain injury, fatigue, respiratory condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, depressive disorder, mood disorder), coronary artery disease, left knee disability, and left shoulder disability have been denied. The decision does not address the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for fatigue.

The Board has found that the Veteran's cervical degenerative changes are at least as likely as not related to his military service, warranting service connection. The remaining claims for bilateral knee and shoulder conditions, back condition, and sleep apnea require additional development.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of his right and left wrist disabilities, warts, left shoulder disability, and migraines have been denied as the earliest communications indicating intent to file a claim were received after the assigned effective dates.,No effective date prior to June 23, 2011 has been established for the grant of service connection for warts. The earliest communication was on June 23, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for further opinion regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing left shoulder disability was aggravated by service.

The Board found that the submitted evidence was not new and material, thus denying the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disability, which may be related to his service. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable, but has not yet decided whether he is entitled to a higher rating for his posttraumatic phlebitis of the right leg or an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for his psychiatric disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia of the left shoulder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for compensation for gynecomastia, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbar degenerative disc disease, and a separate 10 percent rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy effective November 27, 2006 were denied. The claim for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities was granted with an effective date of June 18, 1983. The claims for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for left and right knee disabilities were also denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been withdrawn. The claims to reopen service connection for gouty arthritis, hypertension, depression and anxiety, neck disorder, back disorder, right elbow disorder, and breathing disorder (including asthma and shortness of breath) have been granted.