Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his right shoulder disability and scar was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have resulted in occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70 percent disability rating. The Veteran is also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension and GERD were not found to warrant a compensable rating.,For the period prior to August 2, 2011, his GERD did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation. Since then, it has been rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to clarify the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disability and to obtain relevant VA medical records. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's skin conditions and ED are being remanded for additional development to determine their etiology, including whether they are related to herbicide exposure or service-connected PTSD.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing right shoulder condition was not aggravated by his time in service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

Throughout the entire period of appeal, with the exception of a temporary total rating assigned for surgical convalescence, the Veteran's right shoulder disability is manifested by limitation of motion to approximately shoulder level. The Board finds that this does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hip injury, bilateral knee injury, bilateral shoulder injury, groin injury, and PTSD were denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or chronic disability that may be related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at noncompensable, and the Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted. The claims for reopening service connection for cervical spine disability and right shoulder nerve disability are denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for a left shoulder condition, finding that it is at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional treatment records. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected right shoulder disability is pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability was not present in service or until many years thereafter and is not otherwise etiologically related to service; nor has it been proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disability. As such, the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability is denied.

The Veteran's joint pain, left knee disorder, and left hip disorder were not found to be related to service or the Persian Gulf War. The Board denied these claims as there was no evidence of a qualifying chronic disability for service connection under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been reopened and granted. His malaria is rated at a compensable level (30%). The Veteran also has service-connected disabilities that preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and inextricably intertwined with his TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, onset, and etiology of any left shoulder disability found to be present. The examiner must address whether any left shoulder disability is related to service or due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for a thoracic spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right shoulder disability for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder impingement syndrome, which manifested as dislocation of the clavicle or scapula prior to April 2, 2014, warrants a rating of 20 percent.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left shoulder disability and granted it, finding that new evidence raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.