Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back, neck, hip, and shoulder disorders, have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that can be linked to his active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for clarification on whether the Veteran had a pre-existing bilateral shoulder disability prior to entering active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right shoulder impingement syndromes, as well as sacroiliac joint and lumbar spine degenerative disease and left hip and right hip degenerative joint diseases are rated at 20 percent each from January 4, 2012 to December 30, 2013.

The Veteran's left shoulder instability is granted a 20 percent rating effective July 9, 2012. The other conditions remain denied.

The Board denied a TDIU for the period prior to April 16, 2012, finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for fibromyalgia, fibrosis, and a neurostimulator implant, as well as for higher disability ratings for scars due to right shoulder surgery. The Veteran must file a substantive appeal within the next 60 days.

The Veteran's increased ratings requests for his ankle, knee, and shoulder disabilities have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The current 20 percent ratings for right ankle and left knee disabilities are upheld, while the rating for right knee disability is maintained at 30 percent. Right shoulder dislocations remain rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board denied service connection for cold residuals of the bilateral upper extremities as there was no evidence to support a diagnosis related to exposure to cold.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for scar, left elbow ulnar nerve repositioning is denied. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left shoulder bursitis, left knee strain, and right knee strain.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a right shoulder disability is granted, with reasonable doubt resolved in his favor.,The Veteran's service connection claim for malignant liposarcoma (claimed as lipoma) is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to service.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, low back disability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Service connection was granted for obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's anxiety disorder claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to incomplete examinations, lack of updated treatment records, and other procedural issues. The Veteran will be afforded VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed right shoulder and hip disabilities as well as the severity of his service-connected residuals of a coccyx fracture.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for TBI, left hand disability, left eye disability, right shoulder disability, headaches, and PTSD due to lack of verification of in-service injuries. The claims will be further developed to attempt to verify these incidents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for neck, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities due to lack of evidence showing in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition, neck condition, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and vasomotor rhinitis have been denied. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left and right shoulder conditions due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes, and there was insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between his current conditions and service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and for further medical examinations.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at the maximum allowable rating of 20 percent. The right shoulder disability was initially denied for a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to January 4, 2016, and then granted with a 20 percent rating since that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service records from qualifying periods of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) were not considered in the previous decision, and therefore remands are required to consider these periods.