Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, status post assault injury right shoulder with residual loss of strength, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for status post injury gastrocsoleus muscle with residual atrophy, left calf. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, effective February 19, 2018. His right knee disability remains at a 10 percent rating. A separate 10 percent rating has been granted for his meniscus impairment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records, specifically those from Kaiser. The Veteran's right shoulder condition is still under consideration.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a right knee disability. However, it denied the claims for left shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability as there is no positive nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of left shoulder disability and obstructive sleep apnea, and granted a 20% rating for his left ankle sprain from June 9, 2014 to October 17, 2016 and from February 2, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder and migraine headaches, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during active service or within one year after discharge.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder arthritis. The VA examiner is requested to consider the Veteran's lay statements and provide an opinion on whether his current right shoulder disability is at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and evaluation of the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the first left rib, low back, and shoulder disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service. The evidence showed arthritis and tendinopathy in the right shoulder after separation from service.

The Veteran's headaches are granted a 10 percent rating prior to August 8, 2013 and denied any higher. For the period beginning August 8, 2013, he is granted a 30 percent rating for his headaches. The Veteran's bipolar disorder is granted a 70 percent rating prior to May 4, 2013 and a 100 percent rating from that date forward.

The Board has decided that a VA medical examination and opinion are needed to determine if the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is related to his military service. The case will be returned for this purpose.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claims for hepatitis C and depression is granted. The claim for service connection for shoulder disability is denied, but the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) is remanded.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals on all issues related to service connection for GERD, bilateral knee pain, and bilateral ankle pain. Service connection is granted for cervical spine disability (neck pain) but denied for lumbar spine disability, bilateral hand and finger pain, wrist pain, elbow pain, hip pain, and shoulder pain.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss. The right shoulder and neck disabilities are remanded due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for right shoulder dislocation, right ankle sprain, left ankle disability, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has found that there was not substantial compliance with its January 2018 remand orders and another remand is necessary due to the lack of addressing the Veteran's two theories of secondary entitlement.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board finds no new and material evidence to support these claims. The ratings for scars of the left chest remain unchanged.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder, right knee, and bilateral pes planus disabilities have not been properly evaluated since their initial rating decisions. The Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) has ordered additional examinations to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder disability, left hip disability, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and cervical spine disability due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,There is no credible evidence showing that the Veteran's current disabilities began during his military service or are related to any in-service injury, event, or disease.