Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disability, including rotator cuff repair and tendonitis, was caused by his in-service injury in March 1971. Therefore, service connection is granted.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder condition, left hand condition, lower back condition, bilateral foot condition, and acquired psychiatric condition (anxiety disorder).,Service connection was not granted as the preexisting conditions did not worsen during service or were not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder tendonitis, but denied the claims of residuals of a concussion, left lower extremity radiculopathy disorder, and right lower extremity radiculopathy disorder. The Veteran's current right shoulder condition is related to his active service.

The Veteran's right shoulder/arm condition is granted as secondary to his service-connected left humerus disability. His upper respiratory condition had its onset in service and is also granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the left shoulder condition, bilateral hearing loss, pulmonary problems (claimed as COPD), cognitive disorder, and headaches. The appeal for PTSD was also withdrawn in its entirety.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as his claim for a rating greater than 30 percent for GERD due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further development and examination, including consideration of an extraschedular rating for his right shoulder arthroplasty.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for an increased rating of recurrent left shoulder dislocation, and the Board has dismissed the case as a result.

The Board has reopened the claim and found new and material evidence to support a reopening of the previously denied claim for service connection for the Veteran’s cause of death. However, it was determined that there is no causal relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his suicide.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his left shoulder disorder, sleep apnea, back disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate VA examinations and outstanding treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with right achilles tendonitis is rated at 10 percent disabling, effective February 3, 2009. The Veteran also received a TDIU for the periods from February 3, 2009 through August 2, 2011 and from May 1, 2018 to present.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left arm disabilities. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for hepatitis C and right foot disability were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.,Memory loss is considered a symptom of the service-connected adjustment disorder with anxiety, so it does not warrant separate service connection.

The Veteran's claim for left clavicle fracture residuals and left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis was reopened, with the former granted based on aggravation of a pre-existing condition. The claim for DM was also reopened, but denied as there is no evidence linking it to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including arthritis (claimed as gout), muscle and joint pains, left shoulder disability, left elbow disability, left wrist disability, lumbar spine disability, neck disability, left knee disability, bilateral foot disability, bilateral eye disability, dizziness, headache disability, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claim was remanded for further action on some issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and secondary service connection for GERD due to PTSD and asthma. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an earlier effective date of June 5, 2013 for the grant of service connection for a right shoulder disability. The Board dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration.