Shoulder decisions — 2015

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for a bilateral arm disability, right ear disability, residuals of a head injury, and dental disability prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is service-connected and his GERD rating is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, as well as a VA examination to address the etiology of his claimed disabilities. The issues on appeal include service connection claims for various conditions.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various conditions, including his lumbar and cervical spine conditions, knee disorders, foot disorder, migraines, PTSD, psychiatric disorders, shoulder disorders, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, chest tightness, and chronic fatigue. The appeals were not granted as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable rating schedules.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder disorder, as well as his lumbosacral strain and muscle hernia of the right tibia. The claims are being remanded for additional examinations and opinions.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and found that new evidence supports a finding of direct service connection. The Veteran's current right shoulder disability is not presumed due to Agent Orange exposure, but is related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back and right shoulder conditions are related to his military service, granting service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine and arthritis of the right shoulder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left shoulder disorders are not related to service, and thus denied her claims for service connection.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability has been rated at 10 percent since February 22, 2007. The current rating is appropriate as the evidence shows that his range of motion does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical opinions and seeking relevant records. The case will be returned to the Board for further consideration.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for lumbar strain, right knee strain, and right shoulder strain from December 30, 2008 were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his military service for any of the claimed conditions, and thus denied all claims.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis. The Veteran also had his request to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulders, knees, feet, elbows, hands, and neck denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a vocational rehabilitation opinion regarding the combined effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability. The appeal is now pending again with the Board.