Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has found new and material evidence to support these claims. The appeals are granted in part.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability from January 19, 2010 to September 14, 2014.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a missing tooth due to in-service trauma.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for fascia herniation right forearm and remanded issues related to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, service connection for a psychiatric disorder, and TDIU due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for migraine headaches, cervical spine injury, thoracic spine injury, and heat stroke residuals. The issues of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral shoulder condition, bilateral hip condition, bilateral foot condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, lung and chest pain/condition, and sleep apnea are also remanded.

The Veteran's ratings for his right shoulder disorder and PTSD are being remanded due to insufficient evidence of current severity.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate and remands the case for further examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral shoulder conditions and right hip replacement had onset during service or are directly linked to his time on active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has decided to remand these cases back to VA for further development and consideration.

Right shoulder strain residuals have been granted service connection. The Veteran's bipolar type schizoaffective disorder has been granted a 100% schedular rating.,The issues of service connection for right and left upper extremity neurological disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder and right thigh disabilities, sarcoidosis, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The Board found that the current symptoms are not related to any documented event or injury in active service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as moot because she has a combined 100 percent schedular rating for rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions, making her unemployability due to service-connected disabilities moot.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right shoulder disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without good cause.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions regarding his claimed disabilities, including residuals of a right eye injury, neck disability, back disability, bilateral upper extremity neurological disorder, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left shoulder disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The appeals are related as they all involve service connection claims.

The Board denied service connection for right hip, right shoulder, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities. The decision found that the current conditions are not related to active service.

The Veteran's migraines are rated at the maximum allowable under current criteria, but her pain scar is not compensable.,The Veteran has been diagnosed with HIV and Hepatitis C more than two decades after separation from service.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is related to his service-connected left shoulder and arm disabilities, and the claim for service connection secondary to these conditions is granted.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various upper extremity and wrist disabilities, including shoulder, elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The evidence does not support a finding of current disability or a link to service.,There is no credible evidence linking any of these conditions to active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition is currently rated at 20 percent disabling under DC 5203, which is the highest rating warranted.,The Veteran does not meet the threshold requirements for entitlement to TDIU on a schedular basis due to his combined disability rating of 30 percent and single service-connected disability of 20 percent.,The Board finds that a referral for consideration of the TDIU claim for extra-schedular consideration is not warranted as the Veteran's right shoulder condition did not prevent him from obtaining or sustaining any form of substantially gainful employment.