Shoulder decisions — 2020

Your bilateral shoulder disorder and low back disorder have been granted service connection. Your neck disorder and depressive disorder (secondary to service-connected disabilities) are denied.,The Board has remanded your claims for a right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, headache disorder, left lower extremity amputation as secondary to service-connected disability, left hip disorder as secondary to service-connected disability, low back disorder, total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU), automobile and other conveyance and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only, effective date prior to October 7, 2013 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus, and effective date prior to October 7, 2013 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection due to potential herbicide exposure, as well as other issues.

The Veteran's service connection claims for multiple joint pain, including as due to an undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1117, and shoulder and hip pain have been denied because the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for myositis of the left shoulder was granted in November 1968 with a 10 percent disability rating effective July 17, 1968. The Veteran is now seeking to have this decision revised due to CUE.,The issue of entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to pain medication used to treat service-connected disabilities remains pending and requires further readjudication.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he did not file a timely VA Form 10182 within the required timeframe.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset and relation to service.,The Veteran's hepatitis C is remanded as the VA examiner did not provide adequate rationale for their opinion.,The Veteran's kidney disability, related to hepatitis C, is remanded due to an inaccurate factual premise in the previous opinion.,The Veteran's right hip disability is remanded because the VA examiner did not address whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability.,The effective date for a 10 percent evaluation of the Veteran's right knee disability is remanded due to inadequate examination results.

The Board has granted a temporary total disability rating for convalescence following back surgeries from April 17, 2014 to July 3, 2014. The issues of whether reductions in the ratings for left shoulder disability and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity were proper are remanded due to new relevant VA examination reports.

The appeal with respect to the Veteran's claims for service connection for hemorrhoids and disabilities of the shoulders, elbows, and feet has been dismissed. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims for accrued benefits due to pending appeals and a potential one-year window for filing a Notice of Disagreement. The RO must adjudicate these claims on their merits.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic condition and concluding that arthritis of the right shoulder did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board has granted the application to reopen the claim for service connection of a lumbar spine condition. The claims for service connection of cervical spine and right shoulder conditions are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right shoulder conditions have been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service and concluding that any symptoms were not incurred during military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, right shoulder tendonitis, hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss disability, and chronic bronchitis have been granted. However, the Veteran did not appeal the effective dates assigned.

The Board dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings as they were not properly appealed and the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's right shoulder and left knee disability claims due to inadequate examination findings. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it may be impacted by the outcome of these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability, including missing service treatment records and incomplete VA examination reports. The claim will be further evaluated after obtaining additional information and medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since April 24, 2009.