Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right ankle, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities due to lack of evidence showing a relationship between these conditions and his military service.,The case is being remanded to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left ankle disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her left shoulder disability is remanded due to the need for additional development, including an examination and consideration of neurological symptoms.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and a cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.,Service connection was also denied for hypertension, psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart disability, peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for various arthritic conditions, but has remanded them due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to his service-connected left shoulder disability, right ankle condition, low back condition, and upper back and neck condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Restless Leg Syndrome and Varicose Veins are granted. The claim for service connection for Left Shoulder Disorder is denied, as well as the rating for bilateral hearing loss exceeding 20%. These issues have been remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding an increased initial rating for his service-connected left shoulder degenerative arthritis before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hemorrhoids, residuals of a tonsillectomy, and residuals of a right shoulder lipoma have been denied. The claim for increased rating for seizure disorder has also been remanded.,Service connection was not established for the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence confirming diagnoses or linking symptoms to service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection. His right and left shoulder disabilities are denied service connection. The initial rating for CAD remains at 10%. The initial ratings for diabetes mellitus prior to March 22, 2018 remain at 20%, while the increased rating from that date onwards is also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been submitted, but the nature of the Veteran's conditions and their relationship to service need further clarification.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy, left hip condition, left wrist condition, and ingrown toenails.

The Veteran's right little finger sprain is granted a compensable rating, but the service connection for his right shoulder disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder (anxiety and depression) are also granted.,Service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome is denied as it is not related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a heart condition and pain in the left chest that radiates up into the shoulder and back have been granted. The heart condition claim was reopened due to new evidence, while the pain claim was granted based on the Veteran's reported symptoms.

The Board has denied initial compensable ratings for right knee strain, left hand strain, and high blood pressure. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with degenerative joint disease is rated at 20 percent, but the Board found that this rating does not adequately represent the severity of his condition.,The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gallbladder removal are currently rated at 10 percent. The Board determined that these ratings do not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.,The Veteran's cluster headaches have been rated as noncompensable, with no evidence of characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over several months.

The Board has withdrawn the appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the remaining issues of service connection for various conditions. The Veteran's claims for these conditions are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for VA examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issues of service connection for left shoulder injury with muscle weakness and right shoulder injury with muscle weakness due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board is remanding the cases for readjudication under the new regulations due to a pre-decisional error in using the incorrect standard.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability and gastroparesis with GERD are currently rated, but the Board has found that additional development is needed to determine if higher ratings are warranted.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for lumbar thoracic spine scoliosis is granted. The Board finds that additional clarification is necessary regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's joint hypermobility disorder, to include Ehlers-Danos syndrome.