Shoulder decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression has been reopened and granted. The effective date of the grant is December 14, 2013. A TDIU was also granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active duty service. The claims for higher ratings and effective dates have been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including PTSD and major depression, were granted. The rating assigned for GERD was increased to 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions and theories of causation, including service connection for various disabilities allegedly related to poisoning during service. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, schedule appropriate VA examinations, and consider the Veteran's claims in light of his reported exposures.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and tonsillitis, but denied service connection for neurogenic bladder and PTSD.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's right shoulder disorder or tonsillitis due to lack of evidence establishing an in-service injury or disease. Service connection was granted for neurogenic bladder as secondary to his back condition.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is presumed to have been incurred as a result of her service in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War. Service connection for bilateral shoulder disability, including osteoarthritis, is granted based on objective indications of chronic disability resulting from undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained multisymptom illness.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for head injuries, bilateral shoulder disabilities, and an acquired psychiatric disability are denied as there is no evidence of a current condition or aggravation during service. The preexisting left shoulder dislocation was aggravated by service.

The Board found no current neurological disorder of the right lower extremity and denied service connection for this condition.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a current left shoulder disability, and the Board concluded that any such disability was more likely due to the Veteran's occupation as a barber.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right shoulder disorder is etiologically related to his service, and thus service connection for a right shoulder disability is granted.

The Veteran's left shoulder degenerative joint disease did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to January 5, 2012. From January 5, 2012, his disability was rated as 10 percent due to limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left shoulder disability and TDIU have been remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The case will be returned to the Board after further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and Social Security Administration disability benefits records. The case will be readjudicated after the development.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder injury, trigeminal neuralgia, and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's left shoulder injury is considered to be due to an in-service combat-related injury. His trigeminal neuralgia is found to have been incurred during service, with the onset of symptoms occurring in 1991. His obstructive sleep apnea is determined to be secondary to his service-connected trigeminal neuralgia.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for various conditions, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted since previous denials.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature, etiology, and date of onset of his right shoulder injury, trigeminal neuralgia, and hypertension. The claims will be reviewed again after this additional development.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection and to reopen the claims of service connection for several conditions, including left knee condition, right shoulder condition, right knee condition, left shoulder condition, cephalalgia, back condition, and right foot condition. As a result, all appeals are dismissed.

The Board found no evidence of an in-service injury to the right shoulder and denied service connection for a right shoulder condition.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his left shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities were denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent for the left shoulder disability or in excess of 10 percent for either knee disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's diagnosed left shoulder strain had its onset during his active duty military service and granted service connection for this disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disability is not related to his in-service injury or service-connected disabilities, and thus denied his claim for service connection.