Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is etiologically related to his service, and thus grants service connection for a variously diagnosed right shoulder disability.

The Board has granted the appellant's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a malformed left shoulder and found that new evidence supports this reopening. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability due to lack of medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition, back disability, and right shoulder disability. The evidence does not support finding that these conditions are related to service or any other presumptive basis.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left shoulder condition is not related to his service and denied his claim.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic right shoulder disability in service or within one year post-service, and the Veteran's current condition is not shown to be related to his military service. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability was more likely due to age-related degeneration and occupational history.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed back disorder or left shoulder sprain, and therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder is denied as there is no evidence to support a finding of in-service injury or disease, and her current symptoms are not related to active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, right shoulder disability, OSA, and alcohol dependence as due to PTSD. Service connection was denied for pes planus, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and back disability (scoliosis).

The Board has determined that further development is needed to ensure all relevant evidence is considered in the decision regarding the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected GERD has not been manifested by symptoms productive of considerable impairment of health. The Board finds that the probative evidence of record is against a finding that current cervical spine, lumbar spine, right shoulder, and right elbow disabilities are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral lower extremity condition, to include radiculopathy and neuropathy. The disorder was held not to have been clinically established or diagnosed.,The Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea and bronchial asthma are pending as they may be related to exposure to chemical and environmental hazards during the Gulf War.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left hip osteoarthritis is related to his active military service, while his current left shoulder disorder is not related to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right shoulder disability that is etiologically related to service, including his participation in an MVA during ACDUTRA. The claim for service connection for a right shoulder condition, to include right shoulder strain and pinched nerve of the neck, is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for right shoulder post-operative dislocation was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is not service-connected or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board found the preponderance of evidence against a finding that the Veteran's right shoulder, left hip, and right knee disabilities were incurred during active service or within one year after separation from service. The VA medical opinions obtained in April 2017 did not consider all relevant evidence of record, including private medical records indicating treatment for hip pain since 2001 and osteoarthritis of both knees secondary to old injuries in 2009.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated as 20 percent disabling due to infrequent recurrent dislocation of the scapulohumeral joint. The left shoulder disability was previously rated at 30 percent prior to September 2, 2010 and 40 percent since then. The rating for scarring of the left shoulder is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder arthritis and radiculopathy are related to her service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease, granting her claim for these conditions.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review it.

The Veteran's cervical spine, left forearm, and left shoulder disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including CLL, bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, hypertension, headaches, GERD, lumbar spine disorder, shoulder disorders, hip disorders, leg disorders, and a psychiatric disorder are denied. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not established as prior to January 23, 2014.