Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and an increased evaluation for his cervical spine disability need further development due to incomplete records and inadequate examination reports. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical records, provide updated VA examinations, and consider all relevant evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his right shoulder disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his active military service.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder and peripheral neuropathy, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or within one year after separation. The Board also found no link between the Veteran's current conditions and his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development and examination due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection of a back disability, left shoulder disability, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in some cases, and requests that additional treatment records be obtained. The Veteran is not granted service connection for all of his claimed conditions as more evidence is needed.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, low back disability (claimed as secondary to a left shoulder disability), and an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD). The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with substance use disorder was denied. The Veteran's TDIU due to PTSD from July 31, 2013, to July 27, 2017, is granted. Service connection for residuals of a right arm disability (also claimed as shoulder/elbow condition), low back disability, and right leg disability were denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed.,Service connection for labral tear status post SLAP procedure with arthritis of the left shoulder has not been established.

The claim to reopen service connection for nerve impingement of the right shoulder is granted, and the claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's back, neck, and extremity disabilities. The claims for fibromyalgia, cervical strain, spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine with scoliosis, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, shoulder disabilities, and hip disabilities are all being reviewed due to incomplete medical records from her service at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical strain and spondylolisthesis of the lumbar spine with scoliosis also require further examination as per Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016).

The Veteran's right shoulder disabilities have increased in severity since his last examination, and he is losing right arm movement, experiencing numbness, and cannot lift his arm due to shoulder pain. The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine the current severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and left ankle disabilities due to incomplete records, requiring an additional attempt to obtain his service treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for constipation was granted, but the claims for right shoulder disability, vertigo, loss of sense of smell, and loss of sense of taste were all denied. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, achilles tendonitis, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back disability, pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, edema of the lower extremities, residuals of a head injury, migraine headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica of the left leg, and psychiatric disorder manifested by a head injury, all related to Reserve service. The Board found that there was no evidence of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated during ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back, and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under DC 5201. The Board finds that his condition does not warrant a higher evaluation as it has not shown limitation of motion to midway between his side and shoulder level or limitation of motion to 25 degrees from his side.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various knee, shoulder, elbow, and spine disabilities have been denied. The effective dates for the initial ratings of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral) and left lower extremity radiculopathy (femoral), as well as for the initial rating of 10 percent for right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic) and left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic), have been amended to October 21, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip disorder, neck disorder, right shoulder disorder, and HPV have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen these claims.,A noncompensable rating is assigned for recurring cysts of the right inner thigh.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal, and no jurisdiction remains for adjudicating the merits.