Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of arthritis of the left shoulder, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, service connection for left chronic cervical radiculopathy (secondary to service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder), and service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper extremity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is still capable of sedentary work.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was restored to a 30% rating from January 23, 2017. The claim for higher ratings for the left shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities were denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for a neck disability. The issues of entitlement to higher ratings for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, and service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, left hip, right hip, left leg or knee, and right leg or knee disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, bilateral elbow disability, hip disability, knee disability, shoulder disability, ankle disability, erythema nodosum, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and a bilateral arm disability has been denied.,Service connection was not granted as the evidence does not establish that any of these conditions began during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's petitions to reopen claims for hypertension, renal failure, recurrent kidney infections, a right shoulder condition, and heart disability were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a cervical spine disability and an initial rating for the right shoulder disability. The Veteran's claim is being returned due to inadequate reasoning in previous decisions, lack of VA examination, and need for further clarification on her periods of active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left and right shoulder conditions, finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's back and right shoulder conditions are related to his service. The decision on sleep disturbances is denied.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for his service-connected disabilities is dismissed as the earliest possible effective date, January 1, 2019, has already been assigned.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including migraine headaches and hypertension, have rendered her unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder condition and psychiatric disorder render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, but the claim for TDIU prior to April 9, 2012 is remanded due to a lack of objective criteria under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD is dismissed as the condition has already been granted and assigned a rating in another claim. The case is remanded for further evaluation of his right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities, and to determine if he qualifies for TDIU.

The Board has found that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left shoulder disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee and bilateral shoulder conditions were incurred during his active service due to the physical demands of military training and duties. The decision grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing the issues of attorney fees and increased disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU and DEA benefits was denied as there were no prior claims or inferred claims of entitlement to these benefits prior to March 1, 2017. The effective dates for the grants are set at March 1, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disability is denied. The Veteran's PTSD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and sleep disturbance are granted with a 50% rating. The Veteran's cervical strain is denied as not warranting an increased rating. The Veteran's right shoulder strain is denied as not warranting an increased rating. The Veteran's right knee tendonitis with shin splints is denied as not warranting an increased rating. The Veteran's BPH is denied as not warranting an increased rating. The Veteran's left shin splint is denied as not warranting a compensable rating.