Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and denied service connection for left collarbone, right collarbone (clavicle), right knee, lower back, and right ankle disabilities. The head injury claim is also denied.

The Veteran's left shoulder tendinitis and right shoulder strain are granted as service-connected. Initial ratings for left and right CTS have been granted, with the right CTS receiving a higher initial rating than the left. The Veteran's osteoarthritis of the knees remains remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder is denied. The Veteran's migraines are granted as related to service. The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and sinus tachycardia (heart rate) do not meet the criteria for initial compensable ratings. The Veteran's right knee disorder is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left shoulder strain is remanded due to the lack of recent medical records and an unclear current state of severity. A VA examination is needed to determine the extent of his disability.

The Veteran's right wrist and low back disabilities are granted service connection. The right shoulder disability is granted an increased rating to 20 percent, but the scar associated with it remains noncompensable.

The Board granted a 20 percent evaluation for the Veteran's right shoulder strain based on painful motion, effective prior to August 28, 2016. The decision was partially vacated due to contradictory language.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability characterized as left shoulder impingement syndrome and for obstructive sleep apnea, both of which are determined to have begun during the Veteran's active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for lower back disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's anxiety disorder was granted service connection with an effective date of November 15, 2012.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability resulted in motion limited to shoulder level, warranting a 20% rating from August 12, 2015, to June 12, 2017. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board has remanded 10 issues related to tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, psoriasis, and various forms of rheumatoid arthritis due to the lack of service treatment records. The RO is instructed to attempt to locate these records through multiple avenues.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear otitis media, sinus arrhythmia/tachycardia, and hypertension (HTN) as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The right shoulder disability is denied due to lack of a current diagnosis.,Service connection for dermatitis was also granted.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection granted for right wrist chronic radicular strain, depression and anxiety, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. Service connection denied for right shoulder impingement syndrome and right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the failure to notify him of his scheduled VA examinations, lack of post-service treatment records, and need for additional examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has not been established for a left foot disability, vision disorder, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, right foot disability, upper and lower extremity disabilities, respiratory disorders, sleep disorder, or psychiatric disorders.

The Board has denied compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for qualifying additional disabilities of the right arm and hand, left arm and hand, right shoulder, left shoulder, cervical spine, and lumbar spine caused by or resulting from VA acupuncture therapy in 2016.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for left foot disability is denied as there was no prior claim filed.,Service connection for vision disorder, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, right foot disability, upper and lower extremity disabilities, respiratory disability, left shoulder disability, neck disability, back disability, sleep disorder, and erectile dysfunction are all denied.

Service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, increased ratings for headaches and hearing loss, and service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II are dismissed.,The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II is granted. Service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II are also granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Thailand.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder AC joint is currently rated at 20 percent, but does not meet criteria for a higher rating due to limited range of motion.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and a left knee degenerative joint disease, finding that the Veteran did not have a present disability related to his in-service injuries or exposure. The Board also noted that the Veteran's knee condition was not posttraumatic and did not manifest within one year of separation from service.