Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 27, 2014 for service connection of a right shoulder disability has been denied. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions. The issues include rating an initial claim for right clavicle fracture, service connection for left shoulder disorder, right knee strain, right hamstring disorder, left hamstring disorder, low back disorder, and left knee disorder.

The Veteran's claims for traumatic arthritis of multiple joints and low back disability have been remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, prostate hypertrophy, left shoulder disability, right hand disability (claimed as swollen right hand), left heel spur, TBI, and a disability manifested by dizziness and vertigo have also been remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for astigmatism, right shoulder disability, alcohol dependency, and ADD due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder with a noncompensable rating effective October 20, 2014.

The Board dismissed the appeals of service connection claims for bilateral hip disorder and left shoulder disorder. The Veteran's appeal for PTSD was granted.

The Veteran's right shoulder disorder was rated at 20% prior to January 17, 2014 and denied for an increased rating.,From March 1, 2015, the Veteran's right shoulder disorder has been rated at 30%, which is denied for an increased rating.,The Veteran's left shoulder disorder was rated at 20% and denied for an increased rating.,The Veteran's right shoulder surgical scars were not given a compensable rating.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disorder and granted the reduction of the rating for right shoulder disability from 20% to 10%. The decision found that there was no improvement in the Veteran's condition, thus not warranting a reduction.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and left wrist disabilities. The claims of service connection for atrial fibrillation, hypertension, head and neck cancer, upper extremity neuropathy, and lower extremity neuropathy due to herbicide exposure are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder and low back disorder were denied, but the claim for new and material evidence for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected right shoulder impingement syndrome is denied as the evidence does not show that his condition renders him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and bilateral shoulder disorders are not related to service, but has remanded for further development.

The Veteran's slap tear, right shoulder is currently rated at 30 percent and his recurrent dislocations are separately rated at 30 percent.,Prior to May 1, 2018, the Veteran's asthma was rated at 30 percent. From May 1, 2018, it has been rated at 100 percent.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to initial disability ratings for left ankle strain, traumatic brain injury residuals, right shoulder disability, low back disability, and migraine headaches. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for a low back disorder, PTSD, and a nervous disorder. The claims of service connection for right shoulder disorder and rhinosinusitis have been denied as new and material evidence was not received.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 40 percent from June 2, 2009 to December 1, 2009. The appeal for a higher rating was denied.

Service connection for elevated cholesterol, generalized arthritis, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, back disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, and bilateral foot disability is denied.,Service connection for psychiatric disability and insomnia is denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff tear has been rated at 30 percent since March 27, 2014. The Board finds that the evidence supports this rating as it shows limitation of motion to 70 degrees in any plane, even with repetitive use testing.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and right knee disorders due to insufficient evidence in some areas.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for right shoulder disability, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar strain, left knee strain, right knee scars, bilateral hearing loss, and adjustment disorder with anxiety. The VA treatment records from December 2014 to the present are requested.