Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and progression of his shoulder, elbow, knee, and leg conditions. The VA examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether any current disability is related to service.

The Veteran's left shoulder condition, which was initially rated noncompensable and later granted a rating of 20 percent prior to April 11, 2017, is now rated at 30 percent since that date.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus is granted as service-connected.,Increased ratings are required for cervical spine DJD, right shoulder arthritis, sarcoidosis, and bilateral pinguecula.,Service connection is denied for fibromyalgia, polyarthritis (claimed as polyarthritis), chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, and sleep disability. Additional examinations are needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran's knee scars, right elbow disability, left great toe disability, low back disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral wrist disability, and bilateral ankle disability are remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for her service-connected right shoulder tendinopathy, finding that the objective medical evidence does not support such a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and consideration of his claims.,The Board finds that the October 1999 rating decision denying service connection for dysthymic disorder was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions or examinations regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions. The issues of service connection for hemorrhoids, right shoulder disorder, ear disorder (including otitis media with effusion and cerumen impaction), left leg disability, low back disorder, and Lyme disease are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (insomnia and PTSD), and a left shoulder condition due to insufficient medical opinions and missing evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the service connection issues, and thus they are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including scheduling VA examinations and providing proper notice to the Veteran's attorney representative.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for GERD with hiatal hernia, lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, right shoulder strain with degenerative joint disease, and lungs residuals, calcified nodules of the lungs.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine and thoracic lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, but denied service connection for left hip condition, left upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy secondary to cervical spine, left shoulder impingement syndrome with arthritis, left knee osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease, and right knee osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for asthma has been dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for right shoulder calcific tendinitis.

The Board has remanded several claims related to various disabilities, including chronic pain and fatigue, knee and shoulder injuries, headaches, psychiatric disorders, and TMJ. The Veteran's service-connected orthopedic disabilities are currently rated at 100 percent.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection, and his left shoulder disability, OSA, and hypertension were denied. The claims for residuals of H. pylori infection and duodenal ulcer, personality disorder, and bilateral plantar fasciitis are all granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence linking his current disabilities to active service. Further development is needed, including VA examinations and obtaining additional medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented her from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation due to her mental and physical impairments.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disability and a left shoulder disability, as well as his request for an increased rating for tinnitus and initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran did not have active military service during a period of war. His current disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for upper right lip scar, anterior/medial right knee scar, and left shoulder scars. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy and left shoulder injury residuals were remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for left shoulder, cervical spine, and lumbar spine degenerative joint disease have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for initial disability ratings higher than 10 percent for left shoulder degenerative joint disease, 20 percent for cervical spine degenerative joint disease, and 20 percent for lumbar spine degenerative joint disease have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since November 10, 2011.