Shoulder decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and low back disorders. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left shoulder disability and related scar condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a torn rotator cuff of the left shoulder. The Veteran's CAD is rated at 30 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's shoulder disorders are being remanded for additional medical opinions to determine if they are secondary to his service-connected back disability and radiculopathy.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder, including arthritis, did not manifest within a year of separation from active service and is not linked to disease or injury incurred in service.,A disability manifested by numbness and tingling of the shoulders and upper extremities cannot as a matter of law be awarded service connection as secondary to disability of the cervical spine. It also did not manifest within one year of separation from active service, and is not otherwise linked to disease or injury incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disorder, including rotator cuff syndrome and degenerative arthritis, is not etiologically related to his period of active service. As a result, the claim for service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the nature and etiology of his left shoulder condition, hypertension, and benign hypertrophy of the prostate.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral shoulder disorders, finding that his current shoulder disabilities are related to his in-service shoulder strain and heavy lifting.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and an inadequate examination report. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a shoulder disability will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50% disability rating. The right shoulder disability was rated at 30%, while the left shoulder disability did not meet criteria for any higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder bursitis does not meet or more nearly approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent, as his range of motion is not limited to 25 degrees from the side. The current schedular evaluation adequately reflects the severity of this disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee and left shoulder disabilities are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service. The Board found that arthritis was not noted during service within the meaning of section 3.303(b), and that any current disability is unrelated to service.

The Board has determined that the evidence currently of record is sufficient to substantiate the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed degenerative joint disease of the right knee, left knee, and right shoulder are not related to service and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and subacromial bursitis of the right shoulder. Service connection is also granted for subacromial bursitis of the left shoulder based on herbicide exposure during service in Thailand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder and cervical spine disorders did not have their onset in service or are otherwise related to active duty service.

The Veteran's TBI with cognitive dysfunction was found to have been aggravated by service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.