Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder and denied service connection for left shoulder and knee disorders. The effective date of the grant is January 12, 2016.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions, including bilateral shoulder, hip, knee, ankle disabilities and depression. The claims for left ear hearing loss were reopened based on new evidence received since the April 1985 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his right shoulder and back disorders are being remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals for PTSD, increased rating for chronic lumbar sprain with associated right lower extremity radiculopathy, and kidney condition were dismissed. The appeals for service connection for a right shoulder condition, sinus condition, obstructive sleep apnea, GERD, and erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus, major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), left shoulder condition, sleep apnea, cold injury residuals of the extremities, adenitis tuberculosis, and skin condition due to outstanding VA medical records.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for increased ratings on multiple conditions, including left shoulder bursitis, thoracolumbar strain, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, hip osteoarthritis, knee patellofemoral syndrome (both knees), ankle post-operative changes, sinusitis, and hiatal hernia with GERD.

The appeal of service connection for a left hip disability is dismissed.,The appeals of service connection for right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are also dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for torn labrum in his left and right shoulders due to missing service treatment records. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VHA opinion and needs to identify any current right shoulder impairment and obtain an adequate medical opinion that addresses whether this impairment is related to the Veteran's period of service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus were not granted service connection. The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis was denied as there was no evidence of a chronic disease in service or within the applicable presumptive period. Bilateral hearing loss disability was granted as it met the criteria for current disability and continuity of symptoms since service. Tinnitus was denied due to lack of in-service complaints and delayed onset.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, bilateral shoulder disability, left hip degenerative arthritis, right hand and left hand degenerative arthritis, right knee derangement and instability, and left knee derangement and instability. The reasons given were that there was no in-service injury or disease linked to these conditions, and the Veteran did not serve in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical records related to the Veteran's left shoulder disorder. The case will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected clavicle fracture, degenerative arthritis, right shoulder has been remanded due to the addition of new medical evidence. The RO must consider this evidence and reevaluate the claim before making a decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right shoulder condition, finding that there is no evidence to support a current disability related to in-service incidents. The preponderance of the evidence shows that any injury occurred and resolved during service.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for her right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip osteoarthritis and denied the remaining claims, including those for shoulder disability, knee disability, ankle disability, heart condition, diabetes mellitus type II, cervical spine disability, vertigo, hypertensive cardiovascular disease, diabetic neuropathy of the upper extremities, and diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete development of service personnel records and treatment records, including those related to National Guard service. The Veteran's conditions are left elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle, rib, abdominal pain, forehead scar, rash on face, forehead dryness, head injury, hyperventilation, asthma, cervical spine disability, left knee, hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether he can do so.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are denied as there is no competent evidence of a nexus between the claimed disabilities and his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.