Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral elbow condition due to lack of current diagnosis. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left shoulder condition.

The Veteran's left shoulder arthritis has not resulted in limitation of motion to 25 degrees from the side, and therefore a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the award of a 20% rating for limitation of extension of his right knee. The Board finds that no such claim was pending prior to April 20, 2015 and thus denies the request for an earlier effective date.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records, specifically those from the Naval Hospital in Beaufort and Kittery, Maine. The Veteran's right shoulder disability claim will be reviewed again with these additional records.

The Veteran's right tibia fracture and right ear pain claims have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim has also been denied, but the Veteran was granted a non-compensable rating for his service-connected hearing loss.,The Veteran's right shoulder injury claim has been remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The claim for prostate cancer is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, back, bilateral knee, and bilateral hand disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations. The VA will determine if these conditions are related to her hepatitis C or aggravated by it.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development to determine the nature, etiology, and impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal disabilities, prostate disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, heart condition, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteopenia, cervical spine disability, neurological impairment of the upper extremities, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, and foot disabilities are being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is being remanded as his prostatitis may be related to his current prostate disability. Additional development is needed regarding whether he has any residual disability from the prostatitis shown in service.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain, chronic gastritis with GERD, and hemorrhoids are being remanded as his most recent examinations in August 2017 were inadequate. Additional development is needed to determine the current functional impairment resulting from these disabilities.,

The Veteran's appeal has been remanded for further development regarding his service connection claims and rating issues. The Veteran wishes to withdraw his claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a back disorder, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder tendinopathy and impingement syndrome, as well as right carpal tunnel syndrome with median nerve neuropathy, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service injury to his cervical spine.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for migraine headache, fibromyalgia, and right shoulder disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, and knee disabilities. The claims are being remanded to obtain updated treatment records from Darnall AMC and to schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his right shoulder disability and the current severity of his bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss. The claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and depression) is remanded for further examination.

The petition to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right lower extremity disorder, and left lower extremity disorder is granted.,The petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for anxious depressive disorder is granted.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions and treatment records related to the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, chronic bilateral hand and shoulder strains. The examiner will be asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, including fibromyalgia, finding that there was no evidence of such disabilities during or related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to service connection for various conditions, including shoulder conditions, PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, lung disease from asbestos exposure, and low back joint and disc disease.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his left shoulder and right hand disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling new examinations.