Shoulder decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for neck disability and right upper extremity disability due to inadequate opinions from previous VA examinations. The Veteran's current disabilities are being evaluated again with new evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not found to be related to service.,His lumbar spine disorder, left shoulder disorder, cardiomyopathy, hair loss, headache disorder, and COPD were also not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for right elbow disability was withdrawn prior to the Board's decision.,There is no evidence of a current disability manifested by muscle spasms or bilateral hip disability. The Veteran has not been shown to have these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for an eye condition and a left shoulder condition due to insufficient evidence. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an additional opinion regarding the Veteran's left shoulder condition, as there are conflicting opinions in the record and further clarification is needed.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right shoulder disability needs to be evaluated again due to lack of information from a previous VA examination. The AOJ must obtain an updated examination and provide opinions on whether the right shoulder disability is related to service, including pushups and pullups, as well as secondary to his left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claim for arthritis, left shoulder, is granted as there is evidence of current disability and in-service injury. The Board finds the private physician's opinion sufficient to establish a nexus between service and current condition.,Service connection is granted for residuals of frostbite affecting all four extremities (claimed as peripheral neuropathy) due to exposure during cold weather training.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals on all service connection claims except for right shoulder, right ankle, and right wrist conditions. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his left and right shoulder conditions remain at 20 percent, with the Board finding that additional evidence is needed to determine if higher ratings are warranted. His low back condition remains rated at 20 percent due to lack of ankylosis or other specific findings warranting a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, and left knee degenerative joint disease due to the need for additional development including a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an extension of a temporary total (100 percent) rating beyond August 31, 2014 due to left shoulder arthroscopic tenodesis and biceps tenotomy because the evidence did not show severe post-operative residuals or need for convalescence.

The Veteran's claims for clothing allowances related to his service-connected right knee and back disabilities were denied because the conditions did not meet the criteria established by VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy was denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's service connection claim for a right shoulder disability should be remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left shoulder disorder due to new evidence submitted. The rating for tinnitus remains at 10%. The hearing loss is not compensable since May 12, 2012. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the left shoulder condition and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records, particularly regarding his mood disorder and right knee disability. The issues include service connection requests and rating increases.

The Board has remanded the claims for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as cervical spine disability due to additional contentions raised by the Veteran regarding her service connection.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, and the RO has remanded for further development on his right shoulder, thoracolumbar spine, neck, and left knee disabilities. The inguinal hernia rating remains noncompensable.

The appeal regarding the bilateral hip disorder is dismissed. The appeals for left shoulder, right shoulder, peripheral vascular disease, and related neuropathy issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various musculoskeletal conditions, including right shoulder tendonitis, right wrist tendonitis, right hip bursitis, and chondromalacia of the right knee, were denied. The current evaluations are found to be appropriate based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's cervical spine spondylosis and degenerative disc disease were granted a 30 percent rating effective from February 4, 2016. The other conditions remained denied.