Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and a new VA medical opinion regarding service connection for left shoulder and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which limits arm movement to midway between his side and shoulder level. The Board denied an increased rating as the evidence does not show that the Veteran’s range of motion was limited to 25 degrees from his side.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted, and his appeals for service connection and ratings for various conditions are dismissed. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral pes planus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for left foot, left knee, and right shoulder disabilities due to inadequate examination reports and missing medical records.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate rationale in the VA opinion and failure to comply with remand directives. The Veteran's right elbow disability is being reviewed for service connection on both direct theory (no current diagnosis found) and secondary theory (right shoulder disability aggravation).

The Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for hearing loss of the left ear and service connection for right shoulder pain have been dismissed.,The claim for a higher rating for chronic sinusitis has been denied. The Veteran's nosebleeds are related to his service-connected chronic sinusitis.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is granted service connection. The cervical and shoulder disorders are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, and TDIU were denied. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 was denied as the Veteran did not incur additional disability of the left upper extremity due to a November 2002 EMG.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder disorder is secondary to his service-connected carpal tunnel of the right wrist.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder and lumbar spine disorders, and peripheral neuropathy. The issues are related to whether these conditions are secondary to a service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension but has remanded the issue of service connection for a right shoulder disability.

The Board has denied service connection for a right eye disorder due to lack of credible evidence linking the condition to military service.,The Board has also remanded the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, as there is insufficient information in the July 2019 VA examination regarding whether it is aggravated by a service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's initial rating claims for right shoulder strain, left shoulder strain, and right knee strain have been denied as the evidence does not show that any of these conditions warrant a higher rating.,Degenerative arthritis of the spine has also been denied as it did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a right shoulder disorder is granted. The claims of service connection for left varicocele, residuals of fracture, left third toe, dorsum right hand scar, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.,Service connection for left varicocele remains denied as there is no evidence showing it has required long-term drug therapy, hospitalizations, or intermittent intensive management.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in actual loss of use of both hands and feet, requiring the use of a power chair for mobility. The Board grants financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and either active service or a service-connected right shoulder disorder. The Veteran's claim was based on his belief that his left shoulder problems were caused by overuse due to his right shoulder issues.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, left knee disability, migraine headaches, and right shoulder strain.,An effective date earlier than October 31, 2013 for the grant of service connection for migraine headaches and right shoulder strain was also denied.

The Veteran's lung mass claim was denied in an August 2009 rating decision. The appellant has withdrawn her appeals for the left shoulder, left knee, and right knee pain claims.,The Board is remanding the cause of death claim due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the cases for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder, knee, and foot disabilities are related to active service or caused by his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's eye disability manifested by color deficiency is denied as it is a congenital defect.,An initial 50 percent disability rating for service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder with panic attack and unspecified depressive disorder, prior to May 21, 2019, has been granted. However, from May 21, 2019, the Veteran's condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability is manifested by no worse than flexion limited to 150 degrees and right shoulder disability by no worse than flexion limited to 145 degrees. Neither meets the criteria for a higher rating.,Left hip trochanteric bursitis has been granted an initial 10 percent disability rating, while right hip trochanteric bursitis does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee and right knee have each been granted an initial 10 percent disability rating. No higher ratings are warranted.,Bilateral feet plantar fasciitis has been granted an initial 10 percent disability rating prior to November 25, 2019, but no higher rating is warranted from that date onwards.,Irritable bowel syndrome has not met the criteria for a compensable disability rating.