Shoulder decisions — 2016

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, including as due to service-connected residuals of a right wrist disability. The Veteran's acne was not granted a compensable rating prior to February 3, 2015.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for his septorhinoplasty residuals due to VA negligence in 1989 was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability, acquired psychiatric disability (to include PTSD), and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disorder is not attributable to service and arthritis of the right shoulder was not manifest within one year of separation from service. As a result, the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder has been denied.

The Veteran is service-connected for multiple disabilities, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy. The Board finds that these conditions render the Veteran unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right shoulder disorder, including arthritis, was not manifest in service and is unrelated to service. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current headache, left leg/knee, or left shoulder disabilities that are related to his military service. The VA examiners concluded that these conditions are more likely due to natural aging processes and other non-service-related factors.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right shoulder disabilities, as well as his requests for increased evaluations for pilonidal cyst and pilonidal cyst scar. The VA examinations indicated that any current conditions were not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and other issues, including verification of dates of active duty for training.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder rotator cuff tear with arthritis and determined that the Veteran's combined disability rating is at least 70 percent, which meets the criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left ankle, hip, and shoulder disorders are not related to his period of service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, low back, and left shoulder disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the passage of time and failure to reschedule VA examinations for her service-connected conditions, as well as new claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left knee and right shoulder disabilities have been granted, with the effective date set at the date of the decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder due to lack of evidence showing a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and scheduling new examinations for his thoracic spine, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected knee disabilities, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a right hand or right arm and shoulder disability that is related to his service-connected amputation of the middle phalanx of the right ring finger. The evidence did not show continuity of symptoms since service, and there was no credible evidence of arthritis within one year of service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain inpatient service treatment records, provide the Veteran with VA medical examinations and opinions, and obtain relevant outstanding post-service treatment records.

The Veteran's current left shoulder degenerative joint disease is not related to service, and there is no evidence of a dental disorder for VA compensation purposes.

The Veteran contends that his current right shoulder disorder is due to a fall associated with his service-connected left knee disorder. The Board has decided the case should be remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.