Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the claims for a bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral hip disorder, and right foot disorder due to incomplete medical records and inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is required to provide information about his treatment providers and additional records are needed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for neck and right shoulder disabilities due to their potential secondary relationship with his service-connected right foot scar residuals. The VA examination did not adequately address these issues.

The Board has remanded two issues: service connection for a left rotator cuff disability and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for painful and limited motion of the right shoulder. For the left rotator cuff, the Veteran needs to be examined to determine if it is related to his service or to his already service-connected right shoulder disabilities. For the right shoulder, a statement of the case must be issued as the issue has not yet been addressed in a decision.

The Veteran's appeal regarding his left shoulder disability is being remanded for further evaluation and consideration.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder disorder and right hip disorder, finding that the disorders were not present until years after active service and are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The issues of service connection for chest pain, headaches, and torn labrum left shoulder are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen her claim for glaucoma, and the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that she has generalized arthritis or any other claimed condition due to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her service-connected left shoulder and back disabilities are remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for bilateral pes planus and denied a TDIU. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, right shoulder disability, and right eye disability. The Veteran's claims were based on his contention that these conditions are related to service.,The evidence did not show chronicity of the disabilities in service or within presumptive periods following separation from service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) housebound based on her service-connected disabilities, finding that she does not meet the criteria for SMC housebound as defined by law and regulations.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings was denied. The left knee disability received a 10 percent rating, and the left shoulder disability received a 20 percent rating effective June 27, 2011.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete examinations and lack of opinions regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Board has withdrawn the issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus and obesity due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The remaining claims, including service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities and acquired psychiatric disability, are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for neck, left shoulder, and right shoulder conditions due to a lack of records documenting the Veteran's 2005 cervical spine surgery. The RO must attempt to obtain these records and readjudicate the claims on their merits.

The Board denied service connection for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the right neck, bilateral shoulder disability, loss of saliva and loss of sense of taste. The claims were found to be not supported by evidence showing a direct relationship to service or any recognized presumptive conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's residuals of a left shoulder injury, residuals of a left elbow injury, and residuals of a lumbar spine injury. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities had their onset in service.

The Board has determined that the VA examination conducted in March 2018 is not sufficient to determine the current severity of the Veteran's right shoulder disability due to lack of testing for pain on both active and passive motion, as well as with and without weight-bearing. The Veteran was also seen by private physicians in November 2015 but no records have been obtained. Therefore, a new VA examination is needed.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for cervical strain, right shoulder disability, hypertension, and PTSD as the appellant withdrew his appeal with respect to these issues prior to a decision being made.