Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including left shoulder, right shoulder, tinnitus, respiratory disability, sleep apnea, hypertension, and headache disability. The Veteran's claims were not supported by evidence linking these disabilities to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the current condition and active duty service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted as service-connected. The cervical strain rating is granted at 30% effective June 18, 2018. Separate ratings are granted for right and left upper extremity radiculopathies.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an extraschedular rating for his right shoulder disability and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for an orthopedic examination.

The Veteran's initial rating for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder was granted at a 20 percent level, while his initial rating for DJD of the lumbar spine with grade I spondylolisthesis remains at a non-compensable level.

The Veteran's left knee femoral-patellar syndrome is granted service connection. The right and left shoulder conditions, as well as the umbilical hernia status post repair with residual scar and ventral hernia, are remanded for further examination and rating.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder, neck, left knee, right knee, and left arm disabilities as there is no evidence of current disability or in-service injury that caused the conditions.,Service connection was not granted due to lack of continuity of symptomatology from service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a left shoulder disability and TDIU due to outstanding records and need for additional medical opinions.

Your claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, right hand disorder, lumbar disorder, left-sided weakness, and left knee disorder have been dismissed.,Your previously denied claims of service connection for spina bifida occulta C6, C7 and TI and cervical spine disorder, as well as left-sided weakness and left knee disorder are now reopened.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as secondary to COPD and due to in-service rhinoplasty surgery. The Veteran's condition was not evaluated by VA, and a new examination is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including shoulder disability, low back disability, bilateral foot disability, heart disability, skin disorder (claimed shaving problems), and allergic rhinitis due to environmental hazard exposure. The Veteran is presumed to have had environmental exposures during his service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's right shoulder degenerative arthritis has worsened since the last VA examination in November 2014. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to obtain updated treatment records and provide the Veteran with another VA examination.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including left hip disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), right shoulder disability, low back disability, and cervical spine disability. The remand requires additional examinations to address functional impairment and provide opinions on whether these disabilities are related to active duty service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a right shoulder disorder, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and tinnitus have been granted. The rating for PTSD has been increased to 10 percent. A TDIU claim is also granted.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran did not have any current symptoms of this condition until after he left military service. The evidence does not support a link between his in-service injury and his current condition.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum opinion from the VA examiner who conducted the October 2014 shoulder examination, in order to determine if the Veteran's right shoulder disorder is related to service and/or caused by his service-connected right elbow disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, including tendonitis and osteoarthritis. The Veteran's current right shoulder disability is found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding increased ratings for his service-connected conditions has been dismissed. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating for cervicalgia, tendonitis of the left shoulder, or radiculopathy of the LUE prior to specific dates.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder, lumbosacral spine, cervical spine, and right knee disabilities, as well as bilateral hearing loss and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and an increased rating for his right shoulder disability due to incomplete examinations, lack of recent treatment records, and need for additional medical opinions.