Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's assertions of a current disability or a causal link between his military service and any claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's vertigo is currently rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 6204 due to the lack of objective findings supporting the diagnosis of vestibular disequilibrium.,The Veteran’s essential tremor has increased in severity since his last VA examination, and he should be provided an opportunity for a VA examination to determine its current severity.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, right ankle, left ankle, right shin splints, and left shin splints disabilities as they are not shown to be related to active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a facial skin condition and a skin disorder of the back, shoulders, chest, and stomach have been denied. The claim for PTSD has been remanded due to the need to verify an in-service stressor.,Service connection is not granted for any of the conditions as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for low back condition, bilateral hand condition, right shoulder injury, and bilateral knee conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability was reopened due to new and material evidence. The Board found that the Veteran's in-service motorcycle accident caused his current condition, thus granting service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder and right ankle disabilities as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus due to an inadequate VA examination report.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an increased rating for a left shoulder disability at his February 2020 Board hearing.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral shin splints has been granted, and the Board finds that his current condition is related to service. The claims for right shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral shoulder condition), left shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral shoulder condition), memory loss, chronic fatigue, sleep apnea with CPAP, insomnia, right knee condition (claimed as bilateral knee condition), and left knee condition (claimed as bilateral knee condition) have been remanded due to the need for further development.,The Veteran's current conditions are related to service. The claims for right shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral shoulder condition), left shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral shoulder condition), memory loss, chronic fatigue, sleep apnea with CPAP, insomnia, right knee condition (claimed as bilateral knee condition), and left knee condition (claimed as bilateral knee condition) have been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder, low back, and neck disabilities, as well as the reopening of claims for seizure disorder (now claimed as residuals of brain surgery) and bilateral hearing loss disability. The AOJ is instructed to verify all periods of active duty training and inactive duty training, obtain the Veteran's service treatment records and personnel records, and provide a response if records are unavailable.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the bilateral knee and a right shoulder disability, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for the knee condition and concluding that the current right shoulder disability is not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right shoulder disability. The claim for service connection for sleep apnea is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating, extension of the 100% rating, and TDIU have all been denied. The left shoulder disability is rated at 20% prior to June 10, 2015, and has not warranted a higher rating since then.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a lack of compliance with previous directives. The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine and right shoulder disabilities are being reviewed again.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination opinions and incomplete medical records. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, deviated septum, sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right hip disability, neck disability, and low back disability are all being reviewed.

The Board denied service connection for cervical stenosis, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, DJD of left shoulder, left knee disability, and left ankle fracture residuals. The Board found that there was no evidence in the service records supporting these conditions or their onset during service.

The appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed. The issues of entitlement to increased ratings for hearing loss and impingement syndrome, as well as TDIU, are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder degenerative arthritis and rotator cuff tear, finding that these conditions are aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar degenerative spine disease and a right shoulder condition due to insufficient evidence in the record.