Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service connection claims for various back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hip conditions are granted. The claim for bilateral deafness is denied.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection for various disabilities, including concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraine headaches, right shoulder disability, left ankle and right ankle disabilities, and left knee and right knee disabilities. The Veteran's service treatment records are unavailable, which may affect the outcome of these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, but denied the Veteran's claims for left leg, right leg, left knee, and right knee disabilities, as well as sleep apnea and hypertension. The case is remanded to verify the Veteran's reported exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability has been denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss that meets VA criteria.,Service connection for sleep deprivation was also denied due to lack of a diagnosed condition and functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities, including a cardiological disability and psychiatric disability (including PTSD), lumbosacral strain, neck disability, right lower leg/calf disability, right and left thigh disability, right wrist disability, right and left shoulder disability, left and right hip disability, and left and right knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's service connection claims for various injuries and conditions due to an error in processing his appeal under the Rapid Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP).

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70%, and he has other service-connected conditions that prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The appeal for a higher rating for PTSD was denied, but the Veteran received a TDIU based on his overall disability picture.

The claims for service connection of right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and left knee disorder have been denied. The claim for service connection of left ankle disorder has been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The claim for service connection of right knee disorder has also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection due to a lack of recent VA examinations, as well as an unclear etiology for his acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has found that the AOJ did not comply with its previous remand directives and has ordered another remand to ensure substantial compliance. The case is now returned for obtaining outstanding treatment records, contacting the Veteran regarding employment status, arranging for an FCE or other VA examination, and assessing whether the Veteran has a 'serious employment handicap'.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate examination, and a new addendum opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's current left shoulder condition is related to their military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, organic brain syndrome, sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability. The issues are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient examination regarding whether the Veteran's left shoulder disability is secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disability and overuse.

The Veteran's service-connected osteoarthritis of the right shoulder is currently rated at 20 percent, but his disability does not limit his arm motion to midway between the side and shoulder level. Therefore, a higher rating cannot be granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder and left shoulder disorder are related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that the current limitation of motion does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of left shoulder nerve damage and increased rating for left shoulder strain with grade II deltoid muscle strain muscle group III was denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher initial evaluation for his left shoulder disability, as the evidence does not support a finding of severe impairment.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims for the Veteran, including those related to left knee, ankle, leg, and shoulder disabilities. The decision also mentions a respiratory disability claim based on in-service asbestos exposure and an eye disability claim involving bilateral cataracts and right eye pin-hole surgery.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a left shoulder disability due to insufficient opinions and missing treatment records. The case will be reviewed again with new medical evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, service connection for left shoulder disability, neuropathy of the left upper extremity (ulnar), back disability, and neck disability are all remanded due to new evidence received since the last denial. The Veteran is also granted to reopen his claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, left ulnar nerve disability, and back disability.