Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's cervical spine and right shoulder disorders are being remanded for further examination to determine their etiology. The claims for right arm and hand disorders will also be remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the cervical spine and right shoulder claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder and bilateral wrist strain as there is no evidence that these conditions had onset during active service or are otherwise related to any incident of active service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for neck, left shoulder and back conditions due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his left shoulder disability was denied. The current rating of 20 percent is maintained as the evidence does not show that the Veteran's shoulder motion has been limited to a level warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the entire appeal period stemming from his January 30, 2008 claim.

The Veteran's obesity is not a disability for VA compensation purposes.,There is no current diagnosis of a bilateral shoulder, hip, headache, or circulatory disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disabilities are not related to service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, characterized by pain and limitation of motion at the shoulder level, does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.,The preponderance of evidence is against finding that the Veteran is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right foot disorder and knee disorders, were denied as the evidence did not establish that these conditions are related to his active duty service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent under DC 5201, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his symptoms. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or arthritis. For TDIU, the evidence shows that the Veteran has been employed in clerical positions with federal contractors but was unable to return to work after completing substance abuse treatment. As such, he is not precluded from obtaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and arthritis in the right hand are related to his military service, but there is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between his right shoulder disability and service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need to determine if the Veteran's injuries occurred in the line of duty, which could affect his service connection claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for acne, but did not address other issues.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, which was noted as pre-existing at enlistment and initially assessed with partial atrophy but good strength, is presumed to have been aggravated by service. The Board finds that the evidence does not clearly and unmistakably show that the aggravation was due to the natural progression of the disease.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for insomnia associated with left shoulder strain status post debridement with arthritis was granted, but the effective date is not specified. The Veteran now receives a 10 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal of the denial of sinusitis is dismissed.,The Veteran is not entitled to a compensable rating for residual fracture of right hand ring finger and little finger.,The Veteran is entitled to an initial 20 percent rating for right shoulder degenerative joint disease from September 24, 2011.,The Veteran is entitled to an initial 10 percent rating for residual right wrist fracture from September 24, 2011.,From July 4, 2017, the Veteran is entitled to a 30 percent rating for tension headaches.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his lumbosacral spine disability with IVDS and right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck and left shoulder disabilities as secondary to his service-connected right knee and left foot disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder tendonitis and rotator cuff tear, obstructive sleep apnea, and lumbar strain with DDD and bulging discs. The claim for a right knee disability was withdrawn by the Veteran during his hearing before the Board.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, thus the case is dismissed.