Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that additional examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, and TDIU. The issues have been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the current condition and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for various service-connected disabilities due to a lack of recent VA examinations and assertions of worsening symptoms. The cases are being returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to concerns about the reliability of a study cited in previous VA examinations. The claims are being returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left-sided body pain, including a left hip disorder; left shoulder disorder; left arm disorder (claimed as left elbow pain); and left knee disorder due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current right shoulder, left knee, or right knee disability and therefore denied service connection for these conditions. The issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded as it may be related to her service-connected heart condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues are a skin disorder, including dermatitis and eczema, and residuals of a right ankle strain.

The claims for service connection of right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, left leg (patellar) disability, chronic sinusitis with allergic rhinitis, and increased ratings for hallux valgus with bunionectomy of each foot have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including right knee disorder, psychiatric disorder, heart disorder, lumbar spine disorder, shoulder disorder, and sleep apnea, were denied as new and material evidence was not presented.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder strain, degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine, and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine due to inadequate opinions in the VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals due to his withdrawal of all claims before the decision was made.

The Veteran's claims for neck disorder, left knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety, and depression), skin itching disorder, right ear hearing loss, right thigh disorder, right shoulder disorder, and bilateral wrist disorders are all denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.,Right ear hearing loss was not diagnosed for VA purposes.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and rating increases have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to address the Veteran's right and left shoulder disorders due to an inadequate July 2016 examination, which did not account for functional loss during flare-ups. The claims are being remanded.

Service connection for hypertension, left shoulder injury, right shoulder injury, stroke, degenerative disk disease of the cervical spine (claimed as upper back and neck condition), and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbosacral spine (claimed as back condition) is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left shoulder injury and right shoulder injury is dismissed due to a pending legacy appeal.

The Veteran's right shoulder tendonitis and bilateral patellofemoral knee syndrome have not resulted in compensable ratings.,Service connection for a bilateral ankle disorder is denied.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and examination, including those related to hearing loss, vertigo, a blood infection during VA hospitalization in September 2012, a low back disability, and a right shoulder disability. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed due to the passage of time and potential negligence by VA.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cardiovascular system signs or symptoms and for a temporary total evaluation due to treatment for a service-connected disability requiring convalescence. The issue of an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were denied as the evidence did not show that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service.