Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and unverified periods of active duty. The appellant must provide additional evidence, including treatment records from her private doctors.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of left shoulder fracture, right shoulder impingement syndrome with degenerative arthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Board granted service connection for fibromyalgia and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left shoulder arthritis and prostate cancer due to insufficient medical opinions and potential verification of Vietnam exposure.

The Veteran's right shoulder fracture is rated as noncompensable from February 6, 2014 to April 30, 2018 and 20 percent since April 30, 2018. The Board found no evidence of limitation of motion at the shoulder level or dislocation, malunion, or nonunion of the clavicle or scapula.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection as his left shoulder disability was not incurred during active duty, and is considered a work-related injury.

The Board denied service connection for cervical strain, left shoulder strain, left trapezius strain, degenerative disc disease (DDD), lumbar spine, generalized pain disorder, hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), acute sinusitis, and migraine headaches as the evidence did not support a nexus to service.,The Board found that there was no medical evidence showing a direct link between any of these conditions and military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right wrist, left wrist, right knee, left knee, right shoulder, and foot conditions. The VA is instructed to obtain medical records from Drs. C.A., D.G., and Occupational Health Cape Fear. Additionally, a new examination is required to determine if the Veteran has current diagnoses of these conditions and whether they are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for TBI residuals, cervical spine condition, and left shoulder condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of a fracture of the 5th lumbar vertebra was denied as her symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for traumatic arthritis of the right hip and sacroiliac joint was denied because there is no evidence showing limitation of motion to less than 20 degrees in flexion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The appeal regarding initial compensable rating for hemorrhoids is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and right foot disorder due to incomplete medical records and inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide information about his treatment providers and additional records are needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck and right shoulder disabilities due to their potential secondary relationship with his service-connected right foot scar residuals. The VA examination did not adequately address these issues.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a left rotator cuff disability and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for painful and limited motion of the right shoulder. For the left rotator cuff, the Veteran needs to be examined to determine if it is related to his service or to his already service-connected right shoulder disabilities. For the right shoulder, a statement of the case must be issued as the issue has not yet been addressed in a decision.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his left shoulder disability is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder disorder and right hip disorder, finding that the disorders were not present until years after active service and are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The issues of service connection for chest pain, headaches, and torn labrum left shoulder are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen her claim for glaucoma, and the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that she has generalized arthritis or any other claimed condition due to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her service-connected left shoulder and back disabilities are remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.