Shoulder decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant a compensable evaluation, and his claims for other conditions are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as the claim for an increased rating for left ankle degenerative changes was not granted, and service connection for cervical spine degenerative changes (claimed as neck condition), right shoulder rotator cuff tear (claimed as right shoulder condition), and thoracolumbar spine intervertebral disc disease/degenerative changes (claimed as back condition) were also denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a dog bite to the right bicep is granted. However, his claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, which he asserts is related to a previous arm injury in service, is denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn, and the cases are dismissed.

The Board has found that the Veteran filed a timely Notice of Disagreement with the RO's July 1, 2009 rating decision regarding his claims for neck condition, shoulder condition, and right arm condition. The case is now REMANDED to issue a statement of the case on whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's headaches have been granted a 50% rating effective June 24, 2014. He also received increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral knee instability from July 17, 2014. The RO has awarded him a TDIU prior to July 17, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining his prison medical records and determining if he completed airborne training.

The Veteran's service connection claims for right hip, left hip and lumbar spine disabilities have been reopened. Service connection is granted for spondylosis of the lumbosacral spine. The Veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder, right ankle sprain and left ankle sprain disabilities remain pending.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability. The gastrointestinal disability, diagnosed as dyspepsia and chronic diarrhea, is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected fibromyalgia. Effective dates prior to July 27, 2011, have been granted for the awards of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and fibromyalgia.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board has not yet issued a statement of the case on the issues of entitlement to earlier effective dates for lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral ankle disability, sinus disability, and right shoulder disability due to new and material evidence. The effective date of these decisions is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examination and need for additional medical records.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied an increased rating as his condition does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability in service and insufficient continuity of symptomatology to establish service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for consideration of additional evidence received since the May 2010 supplemental statement of the case. The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial ratings are pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that Agent Orange exposure, in and of itself, is not a disability subject to service connection.

The Veteran's skin disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, as he testified that his last VA examination was inadequate and did not account for recent changes in his address. Outstanding VA treatment reports are also requested.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU have been granted, with the exception of his cervical spine disability claim which is still pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service records do not support a finding of in-service injury or noise exposure related to his current disabilities. The most probative evidence is against a finding of any current disability due to service.