Shoulder decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and right shoulder disability were not incurred or aggravated in service, and therefore denied these claims.

The Veteran is granted an increased rating of 60 percent for his right knee disability from May 1, 2006 to June 6, 2008. Service connection is established for coronary artery disease and a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's left and right ankle disabilities have been rated at 20 percent since September 11, 2014.,The Veteran's shoulder disabilities have also been rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for low back disability, chest pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left shoulder disability, arthritis, bilateral knee disabilities, left ankle injury, and psychiatric disability. The appeals are now remanded for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disorders are not related to his service-connected low back disorders and denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment for the period from December 4, 2014 to present.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no objective evidence of sinusitis, epididymitis, onychomycosis, left knee disability or left shoulder disability. The Veteran's current conditions are not presumed due to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are as likely as not related to his service-connected low back and bilateral knee disabilities, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional development being required, including obtaining missing records and preparing addendum opinions for the Veteran's lung and shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's arthritis, including of the feet, legs, back, shoulder, and hands, was not shown during service or for many years thereafter. The Board finds that there is no causal connection between the Veteran's service and his current disabilities.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability has rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the AOJ is directed to refer his TDIU claim for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral vision loss, bilateral foot arthritis, left knee arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, and left hand arthritis are not related to service. The Veteran's current conditions have been diagnosed as a result of post-service treatment and do not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a functional gastrointestinal disorder, fatigue, joint pain with numbness of the left shoulder and neck, and folliculitis were granted as they are presumed to be due to her service in the Gulf War.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been reopened based on new evidence, but the Board has not yet assigned a specific rating for each condition due to ongoing appeals and remands.

The case is being remanded for additional development to address the impact of the Veteran's service-connected joint disabilities on his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, or left lower extremity that is related to his active military service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder. The Veteran's recurrent ear infections are considered new and material evidence to reopen his claim, but he does not have a current disability of atrophy of the brain.

The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher initial rating prior to October 11, 2011 and found no basis for a higher initial or subsequent rating from October 11, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder was not manifested by limitation of motion for the major arm to shoulder level prior to August 10, 2015. As of August 10, 2015, the disability has been manifested by limitation of motion for the major arm to shoulder level but not to midway between side and shoulder level.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and right elbow s/p knot removal; and to left elbow-arm secondary to left shoulder. The Veteran's other claims were not supported by the evidence of record.