Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that new VA examinations are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection of right shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral hand disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to additional evidence that needs to be considered.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, right knee, left knee, and left shoulder disabilities. The claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional examinations due to concerns about the thoroughness of previous evaluations and the need for more detailed information regarding functional loss.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including arthritis of the shoulders, elbows, hands, neck, back, hips, COPD, sleep apnea, and hypertension, have been denied as there is no competent evidence that any such disability may be etiologically related to his service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted.,New evidence has been submitted that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Veteran's sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear is currently rated as noncompensable (0 percent) from April 5, 2016. The Veteran does not have a current disability of sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear for VA purposes.,Service connection for the left shoulder disorder and right shoulder disorder are both denied because there was no in-service injury, disease, or event associated with either shoulder.,The Veteran's low back disorder is currently rated as noncompensable (0 percent) from April 5, 2016. The current lower back disorder did not have its onset during service and is not otherwise related to active duty service.,Service connection for TBI is remanded due to insufficient competent medical evidence on file.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his death. The VA treatment records and the appellant's contentions will be reviewed for a new expert medical opinion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his service connection claims for a left shoulder disorder and lumbar spine disorder, are being remanded due to the submission of new evidence. The Veteran has also filed a notice of disagreement regarding these issues, but an SOC addressing this has not been issued yet.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right shoulder injury and hypertension due to a failure to obtain relevant records from VistA imaging, as well as an inadequate VA examination report. The Veteran will need updated VA treatment records and a new examination to determine his current symptomatology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's application to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection of a left shoulder disability, finding that new and material evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right hand disability and a right shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for right shoulder condition, left knee condition, and right knee condition due to insufficient examination findings.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder degenerative joint disease and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's TBI rating was reduced from 40% to 10%, effective April 10, 2014. The GERD and shoulder conditions were remanded for further evaluation. Other issues related to service connection or disability ratings remain pending.

The Veteran does not have arthritis, left shoulder.,The Veteran does not have arthritis, right shoulder.,The Veteran does not have arthritis, left arm.,The Veteran does not have arthritis, right arm.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back and right shoulder disabilities due to incomplete records and need for additional medical nexus opinions. The Veteran's allegations of in-service physical attacks are being investigated, but without confirmation of hospitalization records, it is unclear if these conditions can be linked to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder, bilateral eye disorder, right ear hearing loss, vertigo, respiratory disorder (manifested by shortness of breath), and sleep disorder have all been denied. The Board found no current disability related to these conditions.,Service connection was not granted for a cervical spine disorder due to lack of evidence showing its onset during service or within one year thereafter.