Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board has decided to remand this case for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective June 1, 2011, the date of his separation from service. The decision was based on his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis, left shoulder disability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been denied as there is no evidence of a link between these conditions and his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection has been granted. The left knee scars are rated at 10 percent, right knee arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the Veteran was granted new and material evidence to reopen his claims for service connection of various conditions including PTSD, depressive disorder, sleep apnea, gastritis, GERD, and others.

The Board found the Veteran's statements regarding his right shoulder injury during service to be not credible, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for acne, bilateral hearing loss, or GERD at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and several joint conditions, require the need for aid and attendance due to his inability to dress himself and manage his daily needs.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left shoulder bursitis, including any functional loss or limitation due to flare-ups and repetitive use. The claim is also being referred to consider extraschedular consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the veteran's claims for additional development due to the lack of certain VA treatment records, specifically physical therapy notes from August 24, 2015.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for left shoulder condition, neck condition, residuals of facial trauma, skin condition (cold sores), and a dental condition for outpatient treatment purposes. The effective dates for these claims are not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, hemorrhoids, and bilateral shin splints have been denied. The claim of entitlement to an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) has been remanded.,The claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus as secondary to a service-connected disability has also been remanded.

The Board denied an increased rating for left shoulder calcific tendinitis with capsulitis and degenerative joint disease, finding that the Veteran's disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5201.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder condition, lower back condition, left hip condition, and bilateral knee condition. The issues were not remanded but rather denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and consideration, including obtaining updated VA medical records, SSA records, worker's compensation information, and further examination if warranted. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of whether extraschedular considerations should be applied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder, but denied the claim itself as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused or aggravated this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for meralgia paresthesias, gout, and residuals of right ankle sprain were dismissed. The claim for service connection for a right ankle disability was remanded. Appeals for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left leg radiculopathy, and left shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tendonitis and degenerative joint disease remain in appellate status.

The Veteran is currently employed part-time as a car salesman and in the recent past was employed part-time as an auto mechanic, consistently earning employment income that exceeds the applicable maximum annual pension rate. The Board found he is not permanently and totally disabled from nonservice-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including a back disability, associated radiculopathy in both lower extremities, left shoulder disability, right ankle disability, and right tendon condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteopenia was denied. The Board found that osteopenia alone is not a disability warranting VA compensation benefits and there was no underlying disease or injury to which the osteopenia could be related. The claims for increased ratings were remanded due to incomplete examination reports.