Shoulder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea and multiple joint conditions, prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to consider all probative evidence in the record, including an October 1974 service treatment record and a May 2010 lay statement. A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a right wrist disorder have been denied due to lack of evidence supporting the assertions.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder dislocations and neurogenic bladder did not alone render him unemployable prior to February 20, 2004. The Board denied his claim for TDIU based on the lack of evidence showing he was unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to these disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability or a link to service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have right ear hearing loss, hypertension, vision condition (due to refractive error), psychiatric condition, cervical spine condition, left shoulder condition, or right shoulder condition during his military service.

The Veteran's bruxism, right ankle DJD/Arthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular DJD and osteoarthritis, and deviated nasal septum have all been granted service connection.,However, the issue of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral ear disability beyond hearing loss and tinnitus (claimed as otitis media) remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spondylosis but remanded the issue of service connection for a left shoulder condition.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for various lower back-related disabilities as secondary to other conditions, including neck, shoulder, knee, ankle, and foot disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for left shoulder, back, right ankle, and sleep disorder (to include sleep apnea) service connection. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, hypertension, neck condition, low back condition, COPD, and GERD. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, right hip disability, bilateral knee disabilities, and right shoulder disability due to unclear periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for the issues of increased ratings for his service-connected left shoulder disability, left ankle degenerative joint disease, and effective date prior to September 23, 2014.,The reduction of benefits for service-connected lumbosacral spondylosis from 40 percent to 10 percent disabling effective April 1, 2015 is found to be improper and void ab initio.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various knee, ankle, and shoulder disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the record. The Veteran is required to provide updated treatment records and undergo a VA examination to address his claims.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of ankylosis or impairment of the humerus. The case is remanded for further consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, including hypertension and unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service records are unavailable due to a fire at the National Personnel Records Center. The Board is remanding the claims for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and conducting VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to the Veteran's request for a Decision Review Officer (DRO) teleconference hearing. The issues of service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, and left ankle disabilities are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for PTSD, left knee disability, right knee disability, and right shoulder disability due to insufficient evidence regarding stressor events in service and functional impairment.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete or inadequate previous examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination report, and the Veteran must provide lay statements and undergo a VA examination for his left shoulder disability.