Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection, including for back, shoulder, neck, and leg disabilities, insomnia, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeals are being returned due to incomplete VA examinations and a failure to contact the Veteran regarding rescheduling these exams.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to cold weather and traumatic events during his deployment in Korea. The AOJ is instructed to obtain relevant ship logs and reports from the S.S. Adabelle Lykes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right shoulder sprains have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for anxiety disorder with unspecified depressive disorder prior to September 17, 2017 has also been denied. However, he is now granted a 70 percent rating since that date.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from June 16, 2011 to December 31, 2017 due to her service-connected disabilities. However, the claim is denied for the period before and after this date.

The Board denied service connection for left trigger (index) finger disability and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 17, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and denied service connection for cervical spine, right hip, left hip, right knee, chest, stomach, heartburn, and unspecified depressive disorder disabilities. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service complaints and current diagnoses.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The cervical spine arthritis claim was denied with a rating greater than 10 percent prior to November 13, 2016 and 30 percent thereafter. Claims for bilateral pes planus, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the left knee, right hand disorder, right shoulder disorder, and right hip disorder were also denied.

The Board has ordered a remand to assess the current severity of the Veteran's right shoulder condition due to worsening since his last examination in June 2019. The Veteran was previously examined and rated for this condition, but he asserts that it has worsened.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient notification of an examination and other factual errors in the documentation.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder and right shoulder disorder was denied.,The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional records from the Veteran's 1972 in-service hospitalization at Osan Air Base in Korea. The claim will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acute pharyngitis, athlete’s heart syndrome, myalgia and myositis, acute lumbosacral strain, bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability (acute shoulder strain), sleep apnea, varicocele and/or orchitis disability, actinic keratosis, and headaches have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability and right knee disability are being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder strain, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple disabilities, including head injuries and knee issues. The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly assess the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's left elbow lateral epicondylitis and left shoulder tendonitis with impingement were initially rated at 10 percent prior to April 9, 2009, and increased to 20 percent thereafter. The cervical spine disability was also initially rated at 10 percent. All ratings have been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the spine and right shoulder impingement syndrome, bicipital tendonitis, and arthritis. The Veteran's chronic pain syndrome is also considered to be related to service.,Service connection was denied for lupus panniculitis, sensitivity to cold, head scar, and two right shoulder scars.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to unclear reasons for requesting a temporary total rating for the left shoulder and because additional evidence was not considered by the AOJ.

The Veteran's right upper extremity neurological/muscle weakness is granted as secondary to his service-connected multiple sclerosis.,His right shoulder disorder and phlegmasia alba dolens (vascular disorder) are denied, with the latter condition not currently diagnosed. Hypertension remains under review for potential secondary service connection.

The Veteran was granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD with TBI, effective November 30, 2015.,His right shoulder arthritis and thoracolumbar spine arthritis were both rated at the maximum available under their respective diagnostic codes.