Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for left foot, middle toe amputation; right-hand disability; right knee disability; left knee disability; and left shoulder disability due to lack of proper notification regarding scheduled examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a left knee disorder other than radiculopathy, finding that the Veteran does not have these conditions due to service or within one year of discharge.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and an initial compensable rating for right hand disability. The Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his military service.,A 10 percent rating under 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities was also denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a lumbosacral disability, evaluation of left shoulder disability, and increased rating for left upper extremity paresthesias due to incomplete development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient development and lack of adequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and further development is required.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left shoulder condition has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation, as the Veteran’s left shoulder disability is manifested by limitation of motion above the shoulder but not limited to 25 degrees at most from the side.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including degenerative joint disease and scapula strain, is rated at 20 percent prior to January 10, 2018. The Board found that a higher rating was not warranted for the period after January 10, 2018.

The Veteran's hypertension, cardiomyopathy and aortic stenosis, insomnia, skin condition, sleep apnea, left shoulder condition, and right shoulder condition are all found to be related to his service-connected PTSD. The application for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder is granted. The claims for left hand and right hand disorders, lumbar spine, cervical spine, right shoulder, and left leg disorders are all denied.

The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, COPD, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, arthritis of the knees, and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to additional development needs.,Service connection is not granted for any of these conditions as there is no evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's initial rating for ischemic heart disease is granted at a 10 percent level. The Veteran's TBI with migraine headaches is also granted, but only at the noncompensable (zero percent) level. Other service-connected disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's combined disability rating has been at least 80 percent since February 23, 2007. Despite having multiple part-time and full-time jobs with substantial earnings from April 2017 to July 2019 as a security guard, the Board found that he was employable throughout his appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any right shoulder disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Board has remanded three issues: 1) service connection for a left shoulder disability, 2) an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for service-connected narcolepsy, and 3) an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected eczema. The hearing testimony indicated that the Veteran's conditions have worsened since the last evaluations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to result in permanent disability, and therefore the criteria for a permanent and total rating under VA regulations are not met.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and brachial neuritis of the right upper extremity, finding no current disability or causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to lack of loss of use of limbs, blindness, or inhalation injury.,The Veteran was not found in need of regular aid and attendance based on his service-connected disabilities as he had dementia which is not service connected.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder debridement, AC joint resection and biceps tenodesis with residual pain and stiffness as these conditions began during his active duty.

The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis is granted as incurred during service.,Right deltoid scars and right lower leg disability are remanded for further development.,A left knee disability is remanded for further development.,Tinea versicolor of the posterior thorax remains remanded for further development.,Right knee Osgood-Schlatter disease is remanded for further development.