Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, and bilateral shoulder disability due to a lack of examination and opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for thyroid cancer, loss of feeling in right shoulder, and loss of feeling in left shoulder. The claims were based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, but the medical opinions found no link between these conditions and the Veteran's time in service.

The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for arthropathy and joint pain, specifically involving the left and right ankles and the left and right hips, has been granted. The evidence now suggests that the Veteran may have psoriatic arthritis affecting his ankles and hips.,The Veteran's request to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a lung condition, claimed as secondary to medications taken to treat service-connected psoriasis, has also been granted.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a lumbosacral spine disability is denied. The Board found no evidence linking the current condition to active service and concluded that his symptoms are not related to any incident during service. For the left shoulder, a 30% rating effective March 8, 2013, was granted.

The Veteran's spouse was added to his VA disability compensation effective December 18, 2013. The claim for an earlier effective date is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has found that additional evidence is needed to determine if his sleep apnea and left shoulder disability are related to his military service.

The Veteran's left leg below knee amputation is rated at 60% and his left shoulder rotator cuff tear with impingement syndrome remains at 20%. The Board has ordered a remand for further examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's lumbar strain is rated at 20 percent effective March 3, 2017. The Board has ordered additional development for other claims and issues.

The Veteran's temporary total rating for right shoulder disability was denied as he did not require convalescence beyond September 30, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for nose bleeds, heart disability, sleep apnea, right shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral wrist disability due to insufficient development of evidence. The Veteran's service records do not show any complaints or treatment related to these conditions during his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition, which has been rated at 30 percent since February 29, 2008, is granted. The rating is based on limitation of motion and the May 2017 VA examination findings.

The Veteran's left and right shoulder disabilities have been rated at 20 percent each, effective from the date of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder, bilateral wrist, low back, bilateral hip, left knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities. These conditions are deemed to be related to military service.

The Veteran's increased evaluation for degenerative changes of the left shoulder is being remanded due to a lack of recent VA examination and potential need for private medical records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability (secondary to left shoulder), and posttraumatic headache were all granted. The posttraumatic headache claim received a higher initial rating of 50 percent as of October 23, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder, right great toe, and left elbow disabilities. The decision is based on medical opinions provided by the Veteran's treating orthopedic surgeon.

The request to reopen the finally disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for low back pain was denied.,The request to reopen the finally disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for scars on left shoulder was denied. The request to reopen the finally disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for scars on left upper chest was granted.

Your claims for service connection have been dismissed as you have withdrawn them.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder and lumbar disabilities, as well as secondary service connection for right and left lower extremity sciatica pain. The Veteran's current diagnoses are considered to be at least in equipoise with the opinions against his claims, leading to a grant of service connection.