Shoulder decisions — 2016

The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current left shoulder and right wrist disabilities. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to his failure to report for the scheduled examination.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a left clavicle fracture with left shoulder acromioclavicular arthritis do not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right shoulder arthritis, are found to be of such severity that they prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 40 percent since January 23, 2012. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's low back and right shoulder disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by his service, as there was no evidence of chronic conditions during service or continuity of symptomatology post-service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to insufficient medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is related to service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition. The remaining claims for right shoulder, right knee, left knee, and bilateral foot disorders are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to appear for a Travel Board hearing. The Veteran is scheduled for a live videoconference hearing before the Board at the earliest available opportunity.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disorder, finding that his current disability is not related to an injury sustained during active duty. The left shoulder disorder claim was granted.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his left shoulder disability was granted, with a current effective date of January 16, 2009. The Veteran is currently rated at 20 percent for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining new VA examinations and obtaining additional medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further action, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his tension headaches rated at 50 percent disabling and bilateral flat feet rated at 30 percent disabling, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and conducting new VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is assigned the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as there are no legal grounds to assign a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 6260. For ED, the RO has already granted service connection and assigned the minimum (zero percent) evaluation allowed by law.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records of his September 2003 treatment and clarifying the etiology of his claimed condition.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left shoulder disabilities have been rated at 30 percent since June 9, 2015. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current range of motion for both shoulders is limited to 85 degrees in flexion and 70 degrees in abduction with pain.

The Veteran was awarded a TDIU effective December 1, 2004. The Board found that he was unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities between January 25, 1996 and December 1, 2004.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that it is related to his military service.

The Veteran's dermatitis and actinic keratosis of the bilateral upper extremities are service-connected. The left hand scar, seizure disorder, and arthritis of the cervical spine and shoulders are not service-connected.