Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent from November 1, 2017. The Board has ordered a remand for further examination and evaluation of the Veteran's left shoulder musculoskeletal disorder and PTSD.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues on appeal, including service connection claims and rating determinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeals as the Veteran died during the appeal process and thus, does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam. The VA will need to verify if the Veteran was present within the 12-nautical mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right knee disability and left shoulder disability due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran will need to undergo additional examinations to determine if his disabilities are related to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back strain with degenerative changes and bicipital tendonitis of the right shoulder with degenerative joint disease. The case is being remanded due to an inability to contact the Veteran for VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for left and right knee arthritis, as well as left and right shoulder disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's period of active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right shoulder disability and head injury residuals due to errors in previous decisions, including overlooking certain diagnoses and failing to provide adequate opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate VA examinations and requests for additional records.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability and hypertension have been granted service connection, but the rating for hypertension remains at noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a right shoulder disorder and entitlement to TDIU due to lack of sufficient evidence in the record regarding these issues. The Veteran's claim will be further developed, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an addendum opinion from a medical examiner.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been granted, and he is now eligible for a TDIU. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, right eye condition, depression, bilateral foot condition, right knee condition, left shoulder condition, left hip condition, left elbow condition, left knee condition, erectile dysfunction, low back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been resolved.

The Board has remanded three issues: a rating in excess of 10 percent for left hallux valgus, a rating in excess of 10 percent for right hallux valgus, and an effective date prior to November 30, 2009, for the award of service connection for residual sensory and motor deficit in the upper left extremity related to the left shoulder injury. The issues are pending at the RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for residuals of a head injury, back disability, bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral hand arthritis, and bilateral hip disabilities require additional development to obtain relevant medical records and determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied service connection for these conditions. The claims for initial compensable evaluations for blurred vision, skin irritation, residuals of a right thumb injury, back disability, and headache are remanded as new evidence may support entitlement to these benefits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as a neck/cervical spine disability. The reasons include insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between current disabilities and service, and the need for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has found that the Veteran's conditions do not warrant a rating in excess of the current ratings for recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder, conjunctivitis, and deviated nasal septum. The cases are remanded to allow further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and unspecified nerve damage disability were denied due to lack of new and material evidence within the one-year appeal period.,Service connection was granted for TBI residuals.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine and cervical spine disabilities, as well as granted the Veteran's claims for left shoulder disability, right foot disorder, blurred vision, respiratory condition, and dermatitis. The remaining issues are remanded.