Shoulder decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to address whether her right shoulder and cervical spine disorders are related to service or caused by her service-connected TMJS.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as his current disability does not meet the criteria set forth in VA regulations. The Board found that his right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities were rated appropriately, but noted that his lumbar spine disability did not warrant a rating higher than 40 percent.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various joint conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the back, neck, shoulders, knees, hips, ankles, and elbows/arms are granted. The specific diagnoses include PTSD, right ankle condition, degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder, bilateral knee conditions, bilateral hip conditions, bilateral ankle conditions, and a left elbow/arm condition.

The Board has dismissed the service connection claim for TBI and denied the service connection claims for psychiatric disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss disability. The remaining issues are REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and a need for further verification of periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and verify his service dates. He also needs VA examinations for bilateral shoulder disorders and hypertension.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD due to MST, GERD, hyperthyroidism, and muscle spasm of the right shoulder. The new evidence received since the final denial supports these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder and chronic arthritis disabilities were not incurred or aggravated in service, nor may be presumed to be service connected.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied service connection for bilateral pes planus. The Veteran's current left shoulder strain is found to have first manifested during active military service, while his bilateral pes planus was not aggravated by service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a bilateral finger injury, neck disability, and bilateral shoulder disability. The Veteran was not diagnosed with any of these conditions during or after his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for multiple service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for increased ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including gathering of records and scheduling of VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's generalized body pain and fatigue are not due to an undiagnosed illness or another qualifying chronic disease under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317, as his symptoms are attributable to pre-existing conditions and other diagnosed disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and residuals of traumatic brain injury, including headaches. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, left and right knee conditions, left and right hip conditions, a cervical spine condition, arthritis of multiple joints, and an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has determined that his claim for TDIU is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder disorder and right shoulder disorder, finding that there was no evidence of aggravation in service and thus denying both claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder arthritis is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and compliance with recent court decisions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate VA examination reports and need for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's low back disability, bilateral hand disability, and right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee and left shoulder disabilities were granted with effective dates of September 10, 2012. The Veteran met the criteria for a 10 percent rating for his left knee disability as of that date, and a 20 percent rating for his left shoulder disability as of that date.