Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine disorder and left shoulder disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent for either condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and left ear hearing loss, finding that the Veteran did not have an in-service injury or noise exposure that led to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The effective date of her sinusitis claim is January 23, 2012.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hepatitis C was granted with an effective date of November 17, 2011. The Board has reopened the previously denied claim and assigned a 20 percent rating for hepatitis C.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left and right shoulder disabilities were denied. The reduction in the evaluation of his lumbar spine strain from 40 percent to 10 percent was found to be improper, and the 40 percent evaluation is restored.

The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a dislocated right shoulder injury is granted. The Veteran's dental condition, claimed as cracked teeth, is denied. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted an initial noncompensable rating.,PTSD disability remains denied with no new rating assigned.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a left shoulder disability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD), bilateral knee strain, and liver cirrhosis has been granted. The effective dates are not specified.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder, left knee, and low back disabilities. The diagnoses include lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis, patellofemoral syndrome and strain in the left knee, and supraspinatus tendinosis and posterior labral tear in the left shoulder.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder disability as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and the Veteran's current shoulder strain is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right elbow, left shoulder, and left knee disabilities have been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The claim for a right elbow disability is denied as there is no evidence linking it to active service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and left knee disabilities are granted as they may be related to his Gulf War service. However, the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were aggravated by service.,Service connection for headaches is granted on an aggravation basis, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, bilateral hearing loss, asbestosis, sleep apnea, and depression due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is not productive of limitation of motion to shoulder level, and the Board finds that a higher rating in excess of 10 percent for his right shoulder disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asthma, left shoulder disability, right hip and knee disabilities, and PTSD due to new evidence suggesting service connection may be warranted. The VA will conduct additional examinations and seek an addendum opinion regarding the nature of his psychiatric conditions.

The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder disorders, left and right thumb disorders, and a neck disorder, to include as due to exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's current diagnoses of arthritis were not related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral shoulder sprains and thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease prior to May 4, 2013 were not found to meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's knee disorders and right foot calluses since May 4, 2013 are remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of a low back disorder as moot because it was granted by the RO in September 2016.,Service connection for a right shoulder disorder is denied due to lack of evidence linking current condition to military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, and high cholesterol were denied as they did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period or are otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The Veteran's left inguinal hernia status post left inguinal hernia repair, right inguinal hernia, and umbilical hernia were denied as there is no evidence of their onset during active service or a link to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck disability, right ear hearing loss, right shoulder bicipital tendonitis (right shoulder disability), right ankle strain, left ankle strain, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFS), left knee PFS, right elbow olecranon bursitis (right elbow disability), lumbar spine disability with Scheuermann's kyphosis (lumbar spine disability), right hip strain with limitation of extension and flexion, left hip strain with limitation of extension and flexion, bilateral pes planus, left ear hearing loss, and tension headaches. The claims are being remanded for additional development.