Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to incomplete VA examinations and failure to consider lay testimony.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disability and type II diabetes mellitus due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection, exposure history, and medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis is not rated higher than 30 percent.,Prior to March 16, 2018, the Veteran’s degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder was rated at 10 percent; since then, it has been rated at 20 percent. The left shoulder condition remains at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was initially rated as noncompensable but is now rated at 20 percent; his cervical spine condition has been rated at 10 percent since March 16, 2018.,Left knee patellofemoral syndrome and right hip strain with osteoarthritis have both been rated at 10 percent. The left hip strain conditions are each rated at 10 percent prior to March 16, 2018 and at 20 percent thereafter for limited flexion.,The Veteran's right hip strain with osteoarthritis has a separate noncompensable evaluation for limitation of flexion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disorder, broken sternum, left shoulder disorder, vision disorder, COPD, acquired psychiatric disorder, and jaw disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.,There is no competent medical evidence linking any of the claimed disorders to the Veteran's time in active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability is not rated compensably, and the Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess its current severity.

The Board has determined that the VA examination did not adequately address the secondary service connection claim and thus a new examination is needed to determine if the left shoulder disability is related to service or caused by the service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's post-concussion headaches were restored to a 50% rating, but the increased ratings for left shoulder strain and chronic lumbar strain are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as vertigo. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for additional development including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's asthma and panic disorder with agoraphobia features have been denied increased ratings.,Right knee DJD, right shoulder rotator cuff tendinopathy, and thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease require further review due to the need for additional evidence or examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder and a low back disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or following service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left shoulder injury was denied in June 1980 due to lack of evidence of a nexus to service. The claim has been reopened, but new and material evidence submitted since the last denial does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened, and his right knee disorder is granted. The left shoulder acromioclavicular sprain with impingement syndrome and PTSD are both remanded for further review.,An effective date earlier than August 11, 2015, cannot be established for the increased ratings of left shoulder acromioclavicular sprain with impingement syndrome and PTSD.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of torn muscles, left and right biceps, heart disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), left shoulder impingement syndrome, and headaches as a residual of a concussion have been dismissed. The remaining issues of service connection for cervical spine condition, right knee condition, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and psychiatric disorder are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for prostate, gallstones, kidney stones, right shoulder, bilateral knee, and hip disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination. The new examination must consider flare-ups and provide estimates of additional loss of range of motion during such periods.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder disability, cervicalgia, and right knee disability due to insufficient evidence in the record.

Service connection is granted for right shoulder disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, and right knee disability.,Service connection is granted for sleep apnea. The Board finds the evidence at least in equipoise as to whether it was caused by service.,Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's representative provided a private opinion stating that his current condition may or may not be related to service, which is considered speculative and thus remanded for further examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for a liver disability. The claims of service connection for malaria, right shoulder disability, and right hip disability are remanded due to missing records.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at a 30% rating, effective from April 2016. The Board found that the symptoms met the criteria for this rating.