Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis was granted, effective from November 24, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since February 22, 2016.

The Board has denied the Veteran's service connection claims for COPD and a right shoulder disability. The hypertension claim is remanded due to a duty to assist error.,Service connection for COPD, lung fungus, was denied as there was insufficient evidence of a nexus between current diagnosis and in-service pneumonia.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection is granted for left and right shoulder conditions, right knee condition, left and right ankle conditions, headache condition (secondary to a service-connected disability), sleep condition (secondary to a service-connected disability), and heart condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck condition, right shoulder condition and hearing loss (recharacterized as mild neurocognitive disorder due to TBI) are granted.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder degenerative joint disease, headaches, and sleep apnea have been granted. His right knee instability has also been granted a rating of 30 percent. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on his left ankle strain and degenerative joint disease as well as his right ankle strain are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting VA opinions and insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is related to service, but a new examination and opinion are needed to clarify this.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current right shoulder and/or clavicle disability is related to service. The Veteran needs a VA examination to determine if his in-service injury caused the muscle wasting one month after discharge or if it is from another incident.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle, left shoulder, and neck conditions due to VA treatment records. The decision on bilateral hearing loss and exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune remains pending.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, increased rating claims, and other matters due to inadequate findings in previous VA examination reports. The Veteran is required to provide additional evidence or undergo further examinations as directed.

The Veteran's low back, thoracic outlet syndrome (right side), and left ankle disabilities are all granted as service-connected.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted as service-connected due to exposure to in-service acoustic trauma. The rating for shrapnel scars of the right shoulder, right hand, and abdomen, and status post lung resection scars of the left chest remains denied.

The Veteran's PTSD disability remains rated at 30 percent, effective December 2, 2014. The left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board dismissed the appeals for bilateral hearing loss and left shoulder disability as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision. The right wrist and elbow neurological disabilities, and COPD are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for osteoarthritis of the hips, elbows, wrists, and shoulders, as well as the bilateral knee disability due to discrepancies in the medical evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss but has remanded the issue of service connection for a left shoulder disability due to lack of compliance with previous remand directives.

Service connection for anemia, brain tumor, sleep disability other than sleep apnea (claimed as insomnia), left shoulder strain, muscle spasms of the back, chest, and neck, skin disability (rash on stomach and arms), respiratory disability (shortness of breath), rhinorrhea, cyst of the left eye, bilateral leg claudication, and gastroenteritis is denied.,The Veteran's service treatment records are negative for complaints, diagnoses, or treatments related to these conditions. The post-service medical records do not provide evidence of current disabilities for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, PTSD, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, and bilateral knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the evidence supports granting TDIU.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board has decided to remand this case for further examination and evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims due to incomplete actions and requests for a supplemental statement of the case.