Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for service-connected right wrist disability. The claims of service connection for left shoulder disorder and right shoulder disorder are denied, while the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right shoulder, left shoulder, and left elbow degenerative arthritis as well as her left hip trochanteric bursitis are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of her conditions.

The Veteran's kidney condition, characterized by kidney stones, is granted as service connected. The issues of service connection for degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint arthritis, a spine condition (back injury), right knee condition, and right ankle condition are remanded.

The Board has remanded multiple issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete medical records and unverified in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left knee, right knee, and back disabilities due to incomplete medical records and new evidence. The Veteran is also being asked to provide updated authorization for VA to obtain private treatment records from providers identified in his previous request.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues include headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), left lower leg disability, gastrointestinal disability, anemia, sinusitis, cervical strain, OSA, left shoulder strain, cervical dysplasia, cellulitis, and a rating in excess of 20 percent for left arm radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including right shoulder disorder, neck disorder, hearing loss, rosacea, autoimmune hepatitis, hepatic steatosis, residuals of liver transplant, surgical scar, and hepatic encephalitis were all denied as they are not service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been granted, with the exception of bilateral hip condition which was denied due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between current disability and active service.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete service treatment records and outstanding VA/privately held medical records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for Graves' disease, cardiological disability, colitis, left arm disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, back disability, cervical spine/neck disability, left lower leg/shin disability, and right lower leg/shin disability. The claims are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder condition, finding that there was no evidence of chronic disability in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The Board also found that the current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder did not manifest to a compensable degree within the presumptive period and did not have continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has found that additional evidence submitted by VA should be considered and a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) should be issued, as the Veteran's right shoulder surgery records were not previously considered.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on four different conditions (bilateral shoulder, bilateral hand, cervical spine, and lumbar spine disabilities) have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's Crohn's disease may be related to his service, including potential herbicide exposure near the Korean DMZ. The right shoulder and spine conditions need further examination for a determination of their current severity.

The Veteran's knee pain was severe and he could not make the trip to a VA facility. The Board found that there was a medical emergency, as the Veteran had not previously experienced such intense pain and it would have been hazardous for him to wait for his appointment at the VA.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder, left shoulder, neck, ankle, foot, and sleep apnea disorders. Service connection was also denied for diabetes mellitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not established during or within the applicable presumptive period.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examinations due to the Veteran's statements suggesting a worsening of his conditions since the last VA examinations in August 2016. Updated treatment records and new examinations are needed.

Rosacea is granted as service connected. Hemorrhoids are not rated compensably.,Undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness related to Southwest Asia theater of operations is remanded for further examination and opinion.,Left and right knee conditions, right elbow injury, and right shoulder condition are all remanded for additional medical opinions.,Sleep apnea is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding its onset during service or relation to in-service sleep complaints.,Residuals of traumatic brain injury are also remanded for an addendum opinion.

Service connection for headaches and tinnitus has been granted.,A 10 percent rating is assigned for a post-traumatic deformity of the right fifth metacarpal bone.

The Veteran's request to reopen a claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability is granted. The issue of service connection for a left shoulder disability is denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is granted, with the opinion that it is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected disabilities (CAD and diabetes mellitus).,The Veteran's request to reopen a claim for service connection of an eye disability is denied. The evidence does not support the presence of any current eye disability.,Service connection for hypertension is denied, with no competent evidence of a diagnosed condition.