Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for various shoulder and foot conditions, as well as cervical spine fusion. The Veteran's right and left shoulder arthritis disabilities were not shown to meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left shoulder disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, and left knee disabilities. The reasons for remanding these cases include the need for further VA examinations to address functional impairment and other medical findings.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for right hip and right shoulder conditions, finding no new and material evidence and concluding that neither condition is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, was granted. The right shoulder disorder claim was reopened due to new evidence, but denied as the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the condition is related to service. The left shoulder disorder and sleep disorder claims were also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of consideration of recent VA treatment records and the need for a new medical examination.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, asthma, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, lumbar spine disability with associated radiculopathy, right shoulder disability, bilateral ocular disability (claimed as an eye condition), chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and prostate disability.,The Veteran's service records do not show any complaints or diagnoses of these conditions during his military service. The VA audiology examination in March 2016 found normal hearing for both ears.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various shoulder, elbow, and knee disabilities due to a lack of VA treatment records from 1970-2007 and incomplete private medical records. The Veteran is also directed to provide authorization for any non-VA medical facilities that have provided treatment.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple issues has been dismissed due to the withdrawal of the appeal by his representative.

The Board has remanded the cases for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral elbow disability was incurred in or is etiologically related to his military service. The effective dates for the granted ratings of 20% for each shoulder are October 1, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, right hip avascular necrosis, and bilateral knee strain (including right and left knees). The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service exposure to physical activity such as pushups and marching in combat boots, which are consistent with the development of his current conditions.

The Board has remanded all the issues related to service connection for various disorders due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims for lumbosacral spondylosis/arthritis, bilateral upper and lower extremity neurologic disabilities, and right shoulder disability due to inadequate VA examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities. The claim of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for a right ring finger disability is also remanded.,Service connection was not granted for left ear hearing loss as there is no evidence showing it during or proximate to the pendency of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for microcytic anemia, left shoulder condition, skin disorder, and hypertension have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Service connection has been granted for a left shoulder condition secondary to service-connected seizure disorder and surgical scarring of the left shoulder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left arm disability and right shoulder impingement syndrome and degenerative arthritis are not service-connected. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions, as well as their relationship to service or other disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service bicipital tendonitis.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity has been granted an initial 10 percent rating. The effective date for this grant is July 10, 2006.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate VA examination and new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the left shoulder, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to injury in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depression, lower extremity radiculopathy, varicocele, laceration of the scalp, right shoulder separation (postoperative), and left shoulder impingement syndrome were denied. The Veteran was granted separate ratings for RLE and LLE radiculopathy involving the sciatic nerve, but his claims for higher ratings or effective dates were not supported by evidence.