Shoulder decisions — 2019

The petition to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability is granted. Service connection for a right shoulder disability is also granted. The claim for an increased rating for low back strain, degenerative arthritis, and IVDS is remanded.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, back disability, and PTSD. The decision was based on the lack of new and material evidence for BHL and the absence of diagnosed disabilities in other areas.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disability. A new VA examination is needed to determine if any current left shoulder condition, including DJD of the AC joint, is related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting evidence and need for further examination. The issues include right knee disorder, headaches, right shoulder disorder, dizziness and fainting spells, low back disorder, and left leg shin splints.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the bilateral knees, ankles, shoulders, and wrists due to inadequate examination in a prior decision. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s diagnosed conditions are related to his active duty military service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for irritable bowel syndrome and a left shoulder disability are being remanded due to the failure to schedule VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal seeking revision of the January 1987 rating decision that denied service connection for left shoulder disability on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) is denied. The claim for an effective date prior to June 5, 2012, for the grant of service connection for prostate cancer is also denied.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Citizens Memorial Hospital on April 15th and 16th of 2016 are being remanded for additional development. The AOJ must secure missing documents, obtain VA treatment records from the relevant facility in Columbia, Missouri, dated for the month of April 2016, and determine whether the costs should be covered under the Veterans Choice Program.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension was denied, and the Board found that an effective date prior to November 1, 2016 is not warranted.,Some of the Veteran’s claims were remanded due to insufficient evidence or need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder disability is denied as the evidence does not show that it has resulted in limitation of motion to midway between side and shoulder level, which would warrant a 30% rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether Sprengel’s deformity of the right shoulder and elbow is a congenital defect or disease, and for additional development related to obtaining medical records from the Veteran's surgery.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance/housebound status. For the period from May 1, 2018 to March 19, 2019, he was rated at 70 percent disabling due to multiple service-connected conditions. The TDIU claim is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and initial ratings have been denied. The Board found that the criteria for an earlier effective date were not met, as the effective date assigned was the day following discharge from service. For other issues, no higher rating could be assigned based on current evidence.

The Veteran was granted an effective date of November 2, 2000 for his extraschedular total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the severity of his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve associated with service-connected lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease. The right shoulder and acquired psychiatric disorder issues are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's pancreatitis, rash on the bilateral hands and above the ankles, and rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulders and legs were not found to be related to his military service or any other service-connected disability.,Service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Veteran's left knee tendonitis is granted as service-connected. The Board also found that the Veteran likely incurred multiple joint disabilities during his active duty, including shoulder, back, neck, and ankle issues, but did not find a direct link to service.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, but no higher, for painful limitation of motion to 25 degrees or less from the side.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not show a link between the condition and military service.,The Board also denied service connection for hypertension, concluding there was no evidence of chronicity during service or within one year post-service.