Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability. The kidney disorder claim is remanded for further examination and opinion. Service connection for sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus are also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from April 30, 2007 to January 17, 2008. The case is now REMANDED for further development related to his claims of service connection for right shoulder disorder and left shoulder disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a lack of an adequate medical examination and opinion regarding the severity of the appellant's left shoulder disability during flare-ups or after repeated use over time.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a right shoulder disability, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, muscle hernia of the left lower leg, and chronic ulcer of the left inguinal region have been denied. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection. The Veteran is not currently diagnosed with a right shoulder or left hip disability, and his claim for erectile dysfunction requires further examination.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for rheumatoid arthritis prior to May 1, 2014, finding that the Veteran's condition was not active during this period and did not warrant a higher rating based on his knee conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20% prior to May 2, 2017 and then upgraded to 30% from May 2, 2017 to July 7, 2019. The claim for a higher rating is denied after that date.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was not related to service and is not considered a presumptive condition.,The Veteran's respiratory condition, claimed as due to an undiagnosed Gulf War illness, did not meet the criteria for service connection.,The Veteran's IBS and GI symptoms were not found to be related to service or any service-connected disability.,The Veteran’s gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were also not found to be related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 7, 2020, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition and a back condition due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is required to provide medical opinions linking his current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, and the appeal for a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's GERD is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right shoulder injury as there is no competent evidence showing a current disability.

The Veteran's spinal osteoarthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board denied a higher rating as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for an even higher rating.,A separate 10 percent rating has been granted for radiculopathy of the right sciatic nerve from July 15, 2014. However, the Veteran's current condition does not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for left shoulder disability, hepatitis C, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), and erectile dysfunction due to potential new evidence or clarification of service connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his active service, including an in-service motor vehicle accident and/or firearm injury. His liver cyst is also being remanded for a medical opinion on its relationship to his active service.,The Veteran's TDIU rating claim is being remanded as final adjudication of the cervical spine disability and liver cyst claims could affect his employability status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right shoulder disability and left ankle disability due to incomplete development of records, lack of nexus opinions based on service treatment records, and need for additional clarification from the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The right knee bursitis and bilateral tinnitus cases are denied, while the other issues on appeal remain pending.

The Board has determined that new evidence received after the February 2018 rating decision warrants reconsideration of the claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's active duty from January 2014 to September 2014 is recognized, and he reported bilateral shoulder pain during this period.