Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a right eye disorder due to incomplete information in the medical records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for his current right shoulder disorder, which he contends was caused by an injury during active duty, and for his right eye blindness, which he attributes to trauma while playing with a toy gun.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and earlier effective dates for major depression with anxiety disorder and tinea pedis. The Veteran's right shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities were granted service connection based on in-service injuries.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder and cardiac disorders, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or within one year post-service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for residuals of a left arm/shoulder disability and TDIU due to additional development being required. The Veteran's VA mental health treatment records from Jackson VAMC dated since 2013, as well as private (non-VA) treatment records from Hattiesburg Clinic dated from January 2013 to September 2014, need to be obtained.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection of left shoulder, hip, and knee conditions due to new evidence. The cases are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board finds that additional development is needed before the claims for higher evaluations can be adjudicated on the merits. The Veteran has submitted new evidence since the March 2015 Statement of the Case, and this evidence must be considered by the AOJ.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an initial compensable rating in excess of 20 percent for a left shoulder disability characterized as degenerative joint disease, acromioclavicular (AC) joint of the left shoulder are remanded due to inadequate VA examination reports.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder residuals with scar, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and gunshot wound residuals, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including increased ratings for his shoulder and spine conditions, as well as PTSD. The claims are being remanded due to a lack of recent VA examinations that did not account for functional loss or flare-ups.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder and right knee disorders, finding that there was no evidence to support a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder disorder, service connection for a neurological disorder of the right upper extremity including radiculopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome, and service connection for a cervical spine disorder due to inadequate examinations and opinions provided.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates for removing R.M. as a dependent spouse, adding M.M. as a dependent spouse, and adding D.M. as a dependent schoolchild over the age of 18.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his acquired psychiatric condition, hearing loss disability, tinnitus, thoracic/lumbar spine disability, shoulder and knee disabilities, pes planus, eye disabilities, migraine headaches, acid reflux, pseudofolliculitis (PFB), hemorrhoids, pulmonary conditions, including COPD, and Meniere’s disease. The Board has remanded these issues for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the lack of proper examination regarding his right shoulder strain with bursitis, and further evaluation is needed.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations related to the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities are inadequate, and thus remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been REMANDED due to the need for additional development and examination. The issues of entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy, low back disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected rheumatoid arthritis did not contribute to his death from congestive heart failure and diabetes.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right bicep tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome (right wrist), and high cholesterol. The decision also granted a higher initial rating of 10 percent for a left eyebrow scar.

The Board has remanded six issues for further development and opinion, including right shoulder disability, low back disability, bilateral knee disability, head injury residuals, depression, and cervical spine disability.