Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for a right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the last VA examination and the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU for the period from June 1, 2011 to September 26, 2017.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, a rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder impingement syndrome with bicipital tendon tear, rotator cuff tear, and degenerative arthritis, an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his hemorrhoids, and a temporary total rating for convalescence following surgery for his service-connected hemorrhoids.,The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current right knee disability or right shoulder disability. The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated as 20 percent disabling under DC 5201 due to limited abduction, but no higher because there was no evidence of ankylosis.

The Board has granted secondary service connection for cervical radiculopathy of the left and right upper extremities, but denied it for a left and right shoulder disability (other than cervical radiculopathy).

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder and neck disabilities, finding that the Veteran did not have a chronic disease entity in service or attributable to service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a back disability, right shoulder disability, left knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss due to new and material evidence. The claim for service connection for anxiety is denied as there is no separate diagnosis from PTSD. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied because it did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a right shoulder condition due to inadequate VA examination and opinion. The examiner failed to provide an adequate rationale for the proffered opinion, including the Veteran's in-service injuries and symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to inadequate VA examinations and a lack of information regarding the Veteran's employment history. The case will be returned to the Board after additional development.

The Veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand. The claim for accrued benefits is denied because the Veteran had no pending claims at the time of his death. The cause of death (cardiopulmonary arrest due to age, underlying cardiac disease, and coronary artery disease) was not caused by service-connected conditions or presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder strain, instability of his knees, and TDIU. The main reasons for remanding are missing records from the claim file and a need for new examinations due to Correia v. McDonald (2016).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left shoulder disabilities due to inadequate examination reports and the need for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including shin and knee issues, abdominal pain, diarrhea, chest pain, shoulder condition, wrist carpal tunnel syndromes, testicular strain, vision problems, and temporomandibular disorder. The reasons given are that the evidence is insufficient to establish a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The issues include bilateral foot disability, residuals of a head injury, neck disability, and left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence being added to the record after a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The VA will need to obtain any additional VA treatment records and consider all submitted evidence in an appropriate SSOC.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic right shoulder dislocation prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful employment during the specified periods, warranting a total disability rating.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is being remanded for further examination and evaluation due to the lack of a medical opinion regarding whether his additional disabilities, if any are present, were proximately caused by carelessness, negligence, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA in furnishing the hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, or examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for further examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, and TDIU due to the lack of new and material evidence. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is also being remanded for further examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection are not properly adjudicated and requires further examination to determine if his current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral double vision and glenohumeral joint, acromioclavicular joint arthritis of the right (dominant) shoulder due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, but the Board found that there was not clear and unmistakable evidence that they pre-existed his military service.