Shoulder decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability and middle and lower back disability are related to service, granting his claims for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period, except for a brief period when he was assigned a combined disability rating of 100 percent. The effective date for the TDIU is January 16, 2015.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for left shoulder bicipital tendinitis was granted, effective July 4, 2009.,In December 2013, the Board remanded the case to grant an increased rating of 20 percent for his service-connected left shoulder condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disorders are service-connected as they are related to his in-service injury during military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis was not shown to have limitation of motion at the arm level, ankylosis, or fibrous union of the humerus prior to January 22, 2008. From that date forward, his condition has not been manifested by such limitations.,The Veteran's left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis has not been shown to have limitation of motion at the arm level, ankylosis, or fibrous union of the humerus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right upper extremity disability is not related to his service-connected Hodgkin's disease and does not have a current diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis or subclavian vein occlusion. The preponderance of evidence indicates that the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected Hodgkin's disease.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities due to new and material evidence. The claims are granted as the evidence does not establish a nexus between the current disability and active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the cause of his fall from bed and its relation to VA care.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disabilities are not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent effective April 17, 2012 for the period prior to that date.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU based on PTSD and SMC due to multiple service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease, shell fragment wounds, and PTSD. The combined disability rating is 90 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA and private medical records, ensuring all notification letters are associated with the file, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder and a right hip disorder, as new and material evidence has been received. The skin condition is not shown to be related to service, headaches are not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by service, and there is no diagnosis of a left shoulder condition.

The case is being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with the Board's June 2016 remand directives. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, secondary to his service-connected gout and/or lumbar strain, will be addressed in more detail.

The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims for hepatitis C, acquired psychiatric disorder, eye condition, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, and degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder. The Veteran's claims were denied as there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims have been granted in part. He was awarded a 20 percent disability rating for his service-connected postoperative bilateral heel spurs with plantar fasciitis, and the extension of a temporary total rating based on convalescence following surgery is also granted. The increased ratings for his left knee disability are also granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder strain, right wrist strain, and right ankle strain are related to his military service.,Service connection is granted for a right shoulder condition/right shoulder strain, a right wrist condition/right wrist sprain, and a right ankle condition/right ankle strain.

The Veteran's appeal is currently in remand status due to the need for additional medical examination and development of his claims.

The Board found no evidence to support a service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability, as there was no in-service injury or disease linked to his current condition. The Veteran's assertions of persistent pain since service were not sufficient to establish continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding his left shoulder disorder and maxillary sinusitis, as well as to ensure a complete record upon which to decide the TDIU issue.