Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU based on this finding.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder and left knee disorders, finding no chronic residuals from in-service injuries.,New evidence submitted after the denial reopened the claims but did not provide new or material evidence to support a direct service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions were caused by service.

The claim for service connection of diabetes mellitus is reopened and granted. The claims for respiratory disorder, left shoulder disability, generalized arthritis, neck pain, right wrist pain, left leg disability, and left thigh disability are also reopened and granted.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disability, left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder disability, fatigue syndrome, gastrointestinal disorder, anemia, and skin condition. Service connection was granted for headaches.

The Board has remanded both claims for additional development due to the submission of new VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a bilateral shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, basal cell skin cancer, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder arthritis with impingement syndrome and degenerative joint disease of lumbar spine, status post thoracolumbar spine fracture. Service connection was denied for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings for tinnitus, back disability, bilateral pes planus, allergic rhinitis, migraines, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and degenerative changes of the right shoulder.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder and low back disorders, but dismissed the appeals regarding bilateral hearing loss and right ear tympanic membrane rupture. The appeal is also remanded for further examinations to determine the nature of any current right hip, right shoulder, and left wrist disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request for an extension of a temporary total rating beyond February 28, 2011. The case is being remanded for further examination and consideration of increased ratings for right shoulder rotator cuff injury with osteoarthritis and right knee unicondylar revision arthroplasty.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder, lumbosacral strain, and left knee disabilities are being remanded for further evaluation. Additionally, the issue of secondary service connection for right knee osteoarthritis is also being remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder disability and the temporary total rating for surgery, as there is no nexus between the current condition and service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his service-connected right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, right triceps tendonitis and right shoulder bicipital tendonitis and impingement syndrome, and left triceps tendonitis. The rating assigned for PTSD remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of evidence, including VA and private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if he developed an additional disability in his cervical spine and/or right shoulder as a result of physical therapy treatment performed at the Cheyenne, Wyoming VA Medical Center on October 7, 2014.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as the effective date for payment of compensation benefits based on a temporary total disability rating for right shoulder surgery requiring convalescence that occurred on August 1, 2013 is September 1, 2013.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating prior to December 12, 2014, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter for residuals of a left shoulder sprain/strain with rotator cuff tear, tendonitis, arthritis, and scapulothoracic syndrome has been dismissed as the Veteran's representative withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for painful bilateral shoulder scars was denied. The Veteran also appealed for a compensable rating for his bilateral shoulder scars, rated on impairment other than painful scars, which was also denied. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left shoulder scar was denied.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, right ankle, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities. It also denied increased ratings for COPD, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and residuals of a thoracic spine fracture.