Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including right shoulder numbness, left ankle condition, angina (chest pain), inguinal abscess pain, low back strain, fracture of the left ring finger, compression fracture at C5-6, residuals of circumcision and balanitis, and left cervical radiculopathy with degenerative disc disease in the left upper extremity. The remand is due to the need for additional VA treatment records from March 2018 onwards.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left foot disorder was found to not be aggravated by service, while the left shoulder disability resulted in a 20% rating prior to February 6, 2019, and a 30% rating thereafter. The right shoulder disability warranted a 30% rating since February 6, 2019. The Veteran's claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent disabling from July 25, 2006 to January 24, 2008 and at 40 percent since January 24, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, right acoustic neuroma, right ear hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,New VA examinations will be conducted to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development and examination, including obtaining treatment records and conducting medical examinations to determine the severity of his renal disease and any arthritis diagnoses. The Veteran will be provided a new Supplemental Statement of the Case if benefits remain denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been submitted. The issues of increased evaluation for a left elbow scar are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and left shoulder disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions and incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran must be provided with a new VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder and back disabilities are being remanded for new examinations to determine their current severity, as the previous examinations did not fully satisfy the requirements of Correia v. McDonald (2016) and Sharp v. Shulkin (2017).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of right elbow and shoulder disabilities due to inadequate reasoning in previous decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities were denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for gastrointestinal disability (undiagnosed) was reopened but not granted as the condition is attributed to pre-existing conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder degeneration is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues regarding entitlement to compensation for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional VA examinations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, lumbar spine, left shoulder, and right shoulder. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of left shoulder injury and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disorders, including right and left arm disorders, a left great toe disorder, a hernia, a right knee disorder, right and left shoulder disorders, sleep apnea (secondary to service-connected psychiatric, lumbar spine, and right lower extremity disabilities), degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and left ear hearing loss. The remand requires obtaining additional medical opinions and records.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and right shoulder disabilities as well as an acquired psychiatric disability (neurocognitive disorder) due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for arthritis of the upper extremities, cervical spine, lumbar spine, bilateral cataracts, and a skin condition other than sebaceous cysts are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder condition, neck condition, and right upper extremity neuropathy. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded as the Veteran did not undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.,Service connection is also denied for left and right knee conditions due to lack of a VA examination.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any right shoulder disability, including whether it is related to an in-service injury. The Veteran's statements regarding her right shoulder condition should be considered by the examiner.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and obtaining SSA records. The issues of PTSD, right shoulder strain, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right knee chondromalacia are all remanded.

The Veteran's right shoulder tendinitis with trapezius strain is rated 30 percent effective from November 4, 2016.,A 40 percent rating for chronic low back pain with history of muscle strain is granted with an effective date of July 12, 2012. The left lower extremity radiculopathy was also granted a 10 percent rating on this same date.