Shoulder decisions — 2017

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and right shoulder disabilities, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the low back claim and concluding that there was insufficient evidence linking either disability to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder disability, low back disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral ankle disability. The Veteran's scars on the chest, shoulder, and back are also found to be related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities. The primary reason is that there are no current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sinusitis is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition during the period on appeal.,Service connection for a disability manifested by frequent urination is denied because there is no current evidence showing such a condition during or in close proximity to the period on appeal.,Erectile dysfunction was not service connected due to lack of an in-service disease or injury and absence of a nexus between the condition and service. The Veteran's back surgery occurred 28 years after discharge from service.,Service connection for a skin disability is denied as there is no current evidence showing such a condition during or in close proximity to the period on appeal.,The claim for service connection for headaches was denied because there is no current evidence showing such a condition during or in close proximity to the period on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, residuals of stroke, atrial fibrillation, COPD, OSA, and a left shoulder disability were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have ischemic heart disease at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted TDIU as of the date of claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disability did not meet or approximate criteria for a higher evaluation in excess of 20 percent. The Veteran was also denied entitlement to TDIU as his service-connected conditions do not preclude obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran is granted a 10 percent rating for degenerative joint disease of the right knee prior to February 3, 2017.,The Veteran is granted a 30 percent rating for status post total left knee replacement with scar from April 1, 2014.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent prior to March 18, 2014 and remains at 20 percent thereafter.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain missing service treatment records and VA examination opinions regarding his stomach disability, skin cancer, coronary artery disease, right shoulder disability, and diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's left shoulder condition, including arthritis and instability, is rated at 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 5303 for severe instability.

The Veteran's right shoulder arthritis and right wrist disability are not service-connected as they are not related to his active service or a service-connected condition. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of a current right wrist disability during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to a request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the Veteran's claimed right wrist/hand/soft tissue condition, left shoulder condition, or low back pain and upper back pain due to dislocated rib. The preponderance of the evidence is against these claims.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions as there is no medical evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance is denied as he does not meet the criteria of being helpless or so nearly helpless that he requires regular aid and attendance.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder disorders are not related to his military service and have denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of sinus disorder or allergies related to service. The Veteran's hypertension was not shown to be caused by his military service. The Board also denied the claims for bilateral shoulder disability and neck disability as they were not directly related to service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability and neurological disorders of the upper extremity have been evaluated at a 20% rating since the appeal began. The evidence does not support an increase in this rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to untimely filing of the substantive appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right foot disability, left shoulder disability, and acquired psychiatric disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claims are therefore denied.