Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board granted service connection for a cyst along the left posterior inferior glenohumeral joint with irregularity of the posterior labrum and chronic left shoulder pain, tinnitus, and right knee strain and chondromalacia. The back disability was denied as there is no current evidence of a back disability.

The Board found that the termination of the TDIU rating from February 1, 2004 was proper due to the Veteran's actual employability at that time.

The Board has dismissed all appeals regarding service connection for various disabilities, including left and right shoulder disabilities, obstructive sleep apnea, heart disability (CAD), left and right wrist disabilities, and paralysis of the median nerve. The Veteran withdrew his appeals for these issues during a videoconference hearing.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for his right and left shoulder disabilities, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, bilateral hand numbness (or carpal tunnel syndrome), and bilateral hand eczema. The remand requests that a new VA examination be scheduled for each of these conditions to provide opinions on whether they are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and pes planus due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether pre-existing conditions were aggravated by service. The Veteran is presumed sound upon entry, so the burden shifts to the government to provide clear and unmistakable evidence that any current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for kidney stones, and initial compensable evaluations for chronic hand tendonitis and residual scars of the right ring and little fingers were dismissed. The appeals for increased evaluations for various shoulder disabilities, hip conditions, foot issues, urinary stress incontinence, and acne rosacea are all pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right shoulder, right ankle, alopecia, or anxiety disorder disability.,Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder tendonitis and tendinosis is at least as likely as not related to his active service, including a diagnosis of bursitis in 1976. As such, the claim for service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that further medical examination and opinion are needed to determine the nature and etiology of sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, and left thumb nerve and/or ligament disability. The appeals for these conditions will be remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating, as PTSD does not result in total occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding whether his right shoulder disability is caused or aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disorder. The initial rating claim for left shoulder disability remains denied.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability rating for the Veteran's residuals of shrapnel wound to right shoulder and right side of the back. The claim for an increased rating for DJD of the thoracic spine is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and right shoulder disability due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for an addendum opinion. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The appeals have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability. The effective date for the 60 percent rating of his left knee disability is set at January 30, 2008.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder tendinopathy with tears of the tendon and labrum, as well as osteoarthritis of the right knee. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection was also denied for bilateral hearing loss and erectile dysfunction (ED), which the Board found to be unrelated to service.

The Board denied service connection for dry mouth and bilateral CTS, as well as various rating claims. The Veteran's hallux valgus, pes planus, cervical spine conditions, and shoulder separation were all rated appropriately.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional examinations to ensure that the VA examinations are adequate and include all necessary testing.

The Board denied service connection for neck, right shoulder, and right foot neuroma disorders. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not linked to his active service due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection for coronary artery disease was also denied as the Veteran did not have any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder sprain was rated at 20% prior to October 16, 2012 and at 30% from March 1, 2014 onwards. A rating higher than 20% is denied for the period between October 16, 2012 and November 13, 2013.