Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for low back, left arm, and right-hand disorders, finding that the current diagnoses are not related to service or any in-service injury.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion and a need for further development, including scheduling an orthopedic examination.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection claims, rating determinations, and a TDIU claim due to inconsistencies in the evidence and need for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder degenerative arthritis is at least as likely as not related to his paratrooper activities during active duty, and thus grants service connection for both left and right shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, rated at 20 percent for bursitis, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it does not result in limitation of motion beyond what is considered normal.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete information and need for medical opinions. The issues of left shoulder, low back, and both feet disabilities are being sent back for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right shoulder strain, right knee musculoligamentous strain with limited extension, and right ankle sprain from April 16, 2015 has been denied.,A uniform 10 percent rating is appropriate for the entire appeal period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder arthritis is service-connected, as it started during his military service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic residuals of a motor vehicle accident affecting the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine, bilateral shoulders, and bilateral arms. The evidence did not show any chronic residuals from the 1974 MVA.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, arthritis of the right hand, right knee, and right shoulder, and a skin disorder of the extremities was granted. Service connection is established for these conditions due to exposure to herbicide agents in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis and lumbar spine disc protrusion are currently rated at 20% and 10%, respectively. The Board denied an increased rating for both conditions as the evidence did not show limitation of motion to less than shoulder level or a combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 120 degrees.

The Board denied all increased rating claims for the Veteran's service-connected conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for any of the disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative.

The Veteran's appeal is mixed, with some issues granted and others not. The decision addresses increased disability ratings for various knee disabilities, service connection claims, and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the VA examiner's opinion is inadequate for adjudication purposes and requires further examination to determine if the Veteran’s bilateral shoulder disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for pre-existing right shoulder injury, in-service right foot fracture, and right ear hearing loss have been denied.,Specifically, the Board found no evidence of aggravation of the pre-existing right shoulder injury during service and concluded that the arthritis did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The right foot injury was also deemed not to be aggravated by service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and left shoulder disability as new and material evidence was not received to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disability, which is related to his military service. The Veteran needs updated VA treatment records and an addendum opinion from a qualified medical examiner.

The Veteran's right shoulder, bilateral upper extremity nerve, and traumatic brain injury disabilities are granted service connection. The cervical spine disability is denied.

The Veteran's left shoulder and bilateral knee disabilities are denied service connection as they are not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected right clavicle fracture. A 30% disability rating for a fracture of the right malleolus with degenerative joint disease is granted.