Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his right shoulder disability and headache disability. The left knee and right knee disabilities are now considered as secondary to a pre-existing condition (lumbar spine).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including irregular heartbeat, BPH, high cholesterol, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, kidney condition, skin condition, right hand tremors, left hand condition, knee conditions, ankle conditions, shoulder arthritis, and lower bilateral gout are being remanded due to the need for additional development.,The Veteran's service records do not provide clear evidence of his claimed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Further efforts should be made to confirm this information.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for left shoulder disability. The issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine disability and entitlement to a compensable rating for residuals of injury to the fourth right finger are remanded.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's left knee strain and right shoulder posttraumatic arthritis, as well as service connection claims for various ankle and foot disorders secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran’s current symptoms do not meet the criteria for service connection as her conditions are not currently diagnosed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, acromioclavicular separation left shoulder, left achilles tendon rupture, and right achilles tendon rupture, are found to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical evidence and an examination to determine if the Veteran's current right shoulder disability is related to his service.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left and right shoulder disabilities have been granted. The left shoulder is rated at 20% from March 31, 2014 onward, while the right shoulder remains noncompensable. Issues of service connection for psychiatric disorders and headaches are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete VA medical records and need for updated VA treatment records. The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is also being evaluated further.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus, type II is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service.,Service connection for an eye disorder including glaucoma and cataracts is denied because the conditions are not shown to be related to service. The earliest documented diagnosis was 9 years after separation from service.,The Veteran's claim for a bilateral shoulder disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service. The only mention in STRs were for pseudofolliculitis barbae, not shoulder issues.,Service connection for a left knee disorder is denied because the Veteran did not have any complaints or treatment for this condition during service and has no current diagnosis.,The claim for pseudofolliculitis barbae is denied as there was no mention of this condition in STRs and no current evidence of a disability.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the left shoulder, lumbar spondylosis and lumbar degenerative joint disease, and arthritis of the left knee.,Further, the appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of her claimed conditions. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if her current conditions are related to her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral rotator cuff impingement syndrome of the left and right shoulders, finding that these conditions are attributable to service.

The Veteran's kidney stones and left shoulder disability are rated at 30 percent each, but the Veteran is seeking higher ratings. The case has been remanded to determine if a rating in excess of 30 percent for either condition is warranted.

The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder disability during service or within one year after separation, and the Veteran's statements about in-service injury were not credible. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's depressive disorder and obstructive sleep apnea are granted as secondary to her service-connected disabilities. The remaining claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded to obtain additional medical records, schedule the Veteran for VA examinations, and address his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new evidence after the May 2018 denial. The AOJ is required to readjudicate the claims and provide appropriate VA examinations.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 40 percent effective July 12, 2015. The Board denied the claim for a combined rating of 50 percent.

The Board found that a timely substantive appeal was not received for the July 2004 rating decision, which denied service connection for several conditions and granted service connection for other conditions. The Board also addressed whether there were new and material evidence to reopen claims related to existing service-connected conditions.