Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the claims for right ear hearing loss and right shoulder condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for plantar warts, bilateral foot disability (DJD), right shoulder disability, and cervical spine disability. However, it remains unclear whether these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disabilities, diagnosed as acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy, which are found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding her right shoulder rotator cuff condition, low back condition, right knee condition, and fibromyalgia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is caused by her service-connected right shoulder impingement syndrome, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, GERD, hematuria, fibromyalgia, ulcer, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, nerve damage to the left hand, arms, and feet, and right hand disability have been denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed in-service stressors and no link between current conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence being added to the claims file and incomplete medical opinions regarding service connection for left knee strain and left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his right shoulder disability and left shoulder disabilities, as well as service connection for weakness in both arms and cramping of hands, were all denied. The Veteran is currently assigned a 30 percent evaluation for his left shoulder disability from July 16, 2009.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multilevel lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease, left shoulder rotator cuff tear and impingement with acromioclavicular arthritis, and right shoulder rotator cuff tear and impingement with acromioclavicular arthritis due to a lack of VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability and remanded several other issues including increased ratings, SMC, and TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for postoperative recurrent dislocation, right shoulder, with traumatic arthritis is denied. The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity vein disability is also denied as service connection cannot be established.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected low back strain and residuals of left foot fracture, as well as an examination to determine the etiology of his bilateral shoulder disabilities. The claims will be readjudicated after this development.

The Veteran's claims for right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and AC osteoarthritis, as well as left shoulder osteoarthritis of the AC joint, were denied effective dates prior to August 24, 2001 and February 6, 2012 respectively.,Both conditions were determined to be service-connected based on evidence received after the final denial in 1985.

The case is being remanded due to the Veteran's request for an RO hearing before a local hearing officer. The appeal will be returned to the Board after any further development and if needed, a supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have originated during service. However, his right and left ear hearing loss do not meet the criteria for service connection as stated in VA regulations. The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder but denied service connection for heart palpitations, headaches, shortness of breath, and fatigue.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and provide a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate opinions from the VA examiners and need for additional evidence, including treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining his service treatment records and providing an examination to determine if his current disabilities are related to contaminated water at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station or anthrax vaccinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's DDD of the cervical spine, left shoulder tendonitis, and right shoulder tendonitis were not incurred in or related to service. The claims for secondary service connection were also denied.