Shoulder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a right shoulder injury is being remanded due to missing VA treatment records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic cough and assigned a 20 percent rating for the back disability. Other disabilities have been rated based on their specific criteria.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability has rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, despite the fact that his combined rating does not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU. The Board finds that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the lumbar spine disability did not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating prior to July 1, 2014, but was sufficient from that date onwards.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability did not cause or aggravate his stroke, dementia, and atrial fibrillation. The Board found no in-service event, injury, or disease that may have resulted in these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further proceedings due to a lack of medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claims. The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities allegedly caused by an incident in July 2007 at a VA facility.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hand and wrist disabilities were not incurred in service or due to his service-connected left shoulder disability. The claim for an initial rating for the left shoulder disability was also denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities, including degenerative changes, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The disabilities are considered to be unrelated to service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and to ensure all relevant records are considered in the decision.

The Board has decided that there are additional pieces of evidence submitted since the last decision and has ordered a remand for further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, including rotator cuff syndrome and acromioclavicular degenerative joint disease. The evidence did not support a finding of chronicity or continuity of symptomatology since service discharge, nor was there any medical evidence linking the current condition to active service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, as the Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of a deceased appellant's claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to assess his neck disability and low back disability. The TDIU claim will also be addressed.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current right shoulder disability, including arthritis and a rotator cuff tear, is not service-connected as it did not manifest during service or within one year of separation. The claim for secondary service connection to diabetes mellitus was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disability warranted a rating of 20 percent since December 22, 2015, based on limited range of motion at shoulder level. Prior to this date, the disability was rated as 10 percent.

The Veteran's low back disability, neck muscle spasms, and radiculopathy of the hips are all found to be related to his service-connected conditions. His bilateral hearing loss is also found to be related to noise exposure in service.,The right shoulder condition is not found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was initially granted service connection and rated at 10 percent prior to June 6, 2013. The rating has been increased to 20 percent effective June 6, 2013.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection of residuals of a left fibula fracture, a left shoulder scar, and residuals of a shrapnel burn to the back. As such, these matters are dismissed.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been evaluated and rated appropriately based on the criteria provided in the Rating Schedule.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence, including records from a non-VA facility. The cervical spine disability claim is also inextricably intertwined with his bilateral shoulder condition claim.