Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea and shoulder injury residuals is granted, but the claims for TDIU are remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with a new VA examination to determine the nature, onset, and likely etiology of any bilateral knee and right shoulder conditions. The Veteran is also asked to provide a medical opinion from his treating physician regarding whether his current conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection of a left shoulder disorder has been granted. Service connection is also granted for this condition.,Service connection is being remanded for the issues related to right and left knee disorders.

The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff surgery residuals are granted a 30 percent evaluation from April 29, 2010 to January 19, 2016.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of recent medical examination, and new evidence may be needed.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disability, neck disability, left index finger wart, right shoulder disability, and right quadricep muscle tear or right knee disability due to the lack of evidence showing current disabilities.,Service treatment records document injuries but do not show chronic conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection for neck disorder and entitlement to a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings, service connection claims, and a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions. The claims include bilateral knee, shoulder, back conditions, bladder condition (due to herbicide exposure), and an acquired psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as zero percent disabling, which is the maximum rating available under VA regulations.,The Veteran's tinnitus has been assigned a single 10 percent rating since September 2014 and there is no legal basis for an increased rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and her claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disorders prior to June 1, 2010. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence regarding her employment status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, but the Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen his previously denied claims. The claims are now considered on their merits.

The Veteran was initially awarded a 30 percent rating for his right shoulder disability prior to August 4, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of severe painful motion or weakness.,From August 4, 2016, the Veteran's symptoms worsened and he was awarded a 60 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected left shoulder disability and diabetes mellitus, as well as his TDIU claim, are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease (DDD), PTSD, and cognitive disorder to include traumatic brain injury, not otherwise specified, have been granted initial ratings of 20 percent each. The Veteran is also entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. Service connection for acid reflux secondary to PTSD and erectile dysfunction (ED) secondary to PTSD are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of right hand disabilities, as well as the TDIU claim due to outstanding medical records and further examination.

The Board has remanded three claims related to traumatic arthritis of the right hip, left shoulder, and lumbar spine due to inadequate examinations in the prior decision. The Veteran is required to provide updated treatment records and undergo new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim to reopen a service connection for sleep apnea is granted. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to determine the etiology of his sleep apnea and the severity of his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, COPD, left and right elbow disabilities, left and right shoulder disabilities, and bilateral knee disabilities due to lack of evidence of a current disability. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including low back, knee, leg, and hip disabilities. The decision also dismissed his claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus.