Shoulder Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine, right ankle, left shoulder, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, left ankle, ingrown toenail, and headaches. The claims were reopened due to new evidence related to a left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to insufficient evidence. The respiratory condition, left shoulder disorder, and throat condition (larynx) are all under review.

The Veteran's initial rating for left shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, including any associated neurological impairment.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right shoulder impingement syndrome, lumbosacral spondylosis, and central serous retinopathy of the left eye have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of a separate rating for laxity of the left knee has also been dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected conditions, including hearing loss, shoulder injuries, back pain, radiculopathy, and PTSD. The Board has remanded these claims for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disorder. However, the issue of service connection for his left shoulder disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as the evidence does not show that his service-connected disabilities alone prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities on an extraschedular basis, finding that his service-connected conditions do not render him unemployable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases due to ongoing complaints of wrist, neck, shoulder, ankle, lumbar spine, left knee, right knee, and epididymo-orchitis disorders. The case requires further examination and opinion regarding these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new examination is required to determine if the Veteran's left shoulder disability was incurred during service.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities, as well as an initial compensable rating for paralyzed true right vocal cord prior to October 28, 2015 and greater than 10 percent thereafter for left knee disability. The Veteran's current disabilities are not related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder disability is related to his military service. The Veteran needs to provide additional medical evidence and a new VA examination will be conducted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for right shoulder strain and lumbar strain due to inadequate examination reports, requiring further development.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations are inadequate and additional evidence is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder condition and Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of lumbosacral spine.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is remanded due to the need for a VA examiner's opinion on whether his hearing loss was caused or aggravated by his service-connected psoriasis or left ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for psoriatic arthritis is also remanded as it requires a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the merits have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of such claims at a hearing. The remaining issues, including those pertaining to an acquired psychiatric disorder and TBI, are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, but denied service connection for left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities as well as left knee and right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for PTSD, sleep apnea, gall bladder removal, a back disability, and a right shoulder disability are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for gall bladder removal is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for right foot ganglion cyst removal is granted.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is rated at 20 percent prior to February 28, 2011, and at 40 percent thereafter. The Board finds the evidence does not support a higher rating.,For her right shoulder disability, the Veteran was initially rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5201. Her current rating is also 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for left shoulder disability, right ankle disability, and rib disability was denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s range of motion in his left shoulder did not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent, as it was consistent with midway between side and shoulder level. For his right ankle disability, the Board granted a 20 percent rating based on marked limitation in its range of motion. However, for his rib disability, the Veteran's noncompensable evaluation was maintained.