Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for an immune system disorder, chest pain, and left shoulder condition were denied as there is no evidence of additional disability caused by VA treatment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of March 20, 2020. The Board granted TDIU for this period and remanded the issue before March 20, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left shoulder disability, gastrointestinal disability (IBS), chronic renal disease, back disability, right shoulder disability, high blood pressure, left hip disability, and right hip disability. Service connection was not established for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities aggravated his obesity, which is an intermediate step for determining service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, right hip, and skin conditions due to lack of current diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to service. The claim for PTSD was not reopened as the new evidence did not provide a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

A 30 percent rating is granted for GERD as of December 2, 2015. Ratings in excess of 20 percent are denied for low back and shoulder disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a VA examination for a back disorder. The Veteran contends that he has a current cervical spine strain, right shoulder disorder (including rotator cuff tear, bicep tendinosis, arthritic changes, and impingement syndrome), and left shoulder disorder related to service. Service connection is denied for all conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and left shoulder disability due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 20% rating for his degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder with bursitis, effective December 1, 2008.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral wrist tendonitis and strain, cervical spine DDD, bilateral medial epicondylitis, left ankle strain, osteoarthritis in the left shoulder, and arthritis in the hands.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to unclear dates of service and need for additional medical records. The Veteran's left shoulder disability is being reviewed again with a focus on verifying his in-service accident, obtaining relevant unit records, and providing an updated VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that his employment during the appellate period was not marginal.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was denied a rating in excess of 10% from March 1, 2013 to November 25, 2019. A higher rating is also denied after November 26, 2019.,A rating in excess of 20% for the right shoulder disability was not granted since November 26, 2019 due to limited motion at or above shoulder level.,The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine prior to April 16, 2018 did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20%.

The Veteran's left shoulder impingement with left cervical radiculopathy and left-hand carpal tunnel syndrome is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that this rating is appropriate based on the current evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. However, service connection was denied for a right arm and shoulder disability due to lack of evidence showing it began during or within one year after service.,Service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disability and cervical spine disability, but not for a right arm and shoulder disability.

The Veteran's left and right shoulder disabilities are granted as service-connected.,For the period from May 9, 2013 onwards, a rating in excess of 40 percent for his back disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.,The Veteran's cervical spine, bilateral hand, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral elbow disorders are being remanded for further evaluation.,The Veteran's left ankle disability is being remanded for a VA examination to determine its current severity.,The Veteran's gastrointestinal disorder (including IBS and ulcer) is being remanded for a VA examination to address the nature of her condition.,The Veteran's bilateral eye disorder is being remanded due to outstanding private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for lumbar strain with DDD on a secondary basis to bilateral knee disability and denied increased ratings for renal disease.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right shoulder disability, history of multiple dislocations and bicep tear with impingement and surgical interventions is denied.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right shoulder disability, degenerative joint disease is denied.,The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a left knee disorder.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various conditions, including wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, ankle ligament sprain, knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, and PTSD, were denied. The decision did not address service connection issues.