Shoulder decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome was withdrawn.,The Veteran is entitled to a 30 percent rating for bilateral temporomandibular dysfunction prior to October 7, 2014 and in excess of 30 percent thereafter. ,The Veteran is entitled to a 30 percent rating for migraine headaches prior to October 9, 2014 and in excess of 30 percent thereafter.,The Veteran is entitled to TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for a video conference hearing at the RO in accordance with the appellant's new address. The claim will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates were granted, while his service connection claims for left knee and shoulder arthritis were denied due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left shoulder disability and to obtain updated private medical records.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right ankle disability was denied. The Board found that the current 40 percent evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder and bilateral carpal tunnel disabilities are not related to service or a service-connected disability. The claim for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tension headaches, seizure disorder, cervical spine disability, and right shoulder disability are all related to his active duty service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the disability rating for right shoulder bursitis, status-post superior labral tear from anterior to posterior lesion repair from 60% to 30%, effective October 31, 2008, was not proper.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder, neck, and upper extremity disabilities are not related to service. The Veteran's pre-existing condition did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being remanded for additional development to determine if it is related to service, including repetitive use in his loadmaster duties, and whether it is aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine and/or cervical spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims for service connection for left shoulder and low back disorders can be decided.

The Veteran's appeals for higher disability ratings for bursitis of the right shoulder and left shoulder have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial disability rating for a bilateral hearing loss disability prior to June 6, 2014 has been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been withdrawn due to his request in a March 2017 statement.,The Veteran's claims for service connection and ratings related to hearing loss, psoriasis, and secondary disabilities are dismissed as the issues were withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for a Travel Board hearing at the appropriate RO. The case will be returned to the Board if further action is required.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right shoulder disability is not related to his service, and denied the claim. The left shoulder issue remains pending as it was remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, a heart disability, and a bilateral shoulder disability. The evidence does not support finding that these conditions are related to his military service.,Service treatment records do not show any diagnosis of diabetes or its complications during service. The September 2015 VA examiner opined it would be speculative to determine if the Veteran's current diabetes is caused by his service-connected pancreatitis.

The Veteran's left heel spur condition was largely asymptomatic prior to June 27, 2016. For the period beginning June 27, 2016, his disability has been manifested by moderate symptomatology.,For the period beginning June 27, 2016, the Veteran's right shoulder condition was rated at 20 percent effective September 23, 2016. The rating is based on the severity of his symptoms and functional impairment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for her service-connected lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disabilities, cervical spine disability, and upper extremity neurological impairments. The evaluation for DDD of the lumbar spine was found to be inadequate prior to June 21, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including providing VA examinations to assess whether the Veteran has current right shoulder and right knee disorders related to his military service.