Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current left shoulder disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran's applications to reopen claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and acquired psychiatric disability are granted. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of left shoulder, right shoulder, back, and neck conditions have been denied. The issues of increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left knee and total arthroplasty with surgical scarring are remanded.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for acne of the shoulders and chest. The case is remanded to determine service connection for postoperative coronary artery bypass graft surgery, including coronary artery disease and aortic stenosis.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and gastrointestinal disability, but denied service connection for low back disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder disability is related to an in-service injury or disease, including his history of recoil from a rifle during basic training.

The Veteran's right shoulder degenerative joint disease with rotator cuff disorder is granted as service-connected.,Diabetes mellitus, presumed due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam, is also granted as service-connected. The effective date for this grant is May 5, 2011.

The Veteran's right shoulder and headaches are granted service connection as they are secondary to his service-connected disabilities. His bilateral hearing loss is denied, but he was granted service connection for tinnitus. The left lower and upper extremity neurological disabilities were not granted service connection.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claims and subsequent submission of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's right hip and pelvic disability is granted service connection. The left shoulder and nausea disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates are being remanded due to the need for further examination and review of his service-connected left arm and elbow disabilities.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection and increased ratings, as the Veteran withdrew his claims in writing.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left shoulder and back disabilities were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability. The issues of service connection for left shoulder and right thigh disabilities, as well as the rating for bilateral hearing loss, are remanded due to need for additional development.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, diagnosed as residuals of left rotator cuff tear and tendonitis, is granted.,The Veteran's left elbow disability is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the current left elbow disability was incurred in or related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability is granted, and his right shoulder disabilities are remanded for further evaluation. The TDIU issue is also remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, including anxiety, PTSD, depression, bilateral shin splints, a right shoulder condition, a back condition, sinus conditions, sleep apnea, and pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).

The petition to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for asthma is granted. The claims for service connection for left and right shoulder, wrist, hip, ankle, and knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and remanded the issue of service connection for a psychiatric disability, to include posttraumatic stress disorder.,Service connection is also being remanded for the issue of service connection for a right knee disability.