Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder tendonitis and left shoulder tendonitis, finding that there is no evidence of a link between his current condition and active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain medical records and verify her service dates. A VA examination will be scheduled to determine the nature and etiology of any left shoulder disorders.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is etiologically related to his period of active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the back were all found to have their onset during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left shoulder and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder osteoarthritis is service-connected, as it was incurred during his active duty. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss remains denied.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues remaining on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The issue of an increased evaluation for left shoulder impingement syndrome remains pending.

The Veteran's cervical spine and right shoulder disorders are being remanded for further examination to determine their etiology. The claims for right arm and hand disorders will also be remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the cervical spine and right shoulder claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder and bilateral wrist strain as there is no evidence that these conditions had onset during active service or are otherwise related to any incident of active service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for neck, left shoulder and back conditions due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his left shoulder disability was denied. The current rating of 20 percent is maintained as the evidence does not show that the Veteran's shoulder motion has been limited to a level warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the entire appeal period stemming from his January 30, 2008 claim.

The Veteran's obesity is not a disability for VA compensation purposes.,There is no current diagnosis of a bilateral shoulder, hip, headache, or circulatory disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder disabilities are not related to service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, characterized by pain and limitation of motion at the shoulder level, does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.,The preponderance of evidence is against finding that the Veteran is unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a right foot disorder and knee disorders, were denied as the evidence did not establish that these conditions are related to his active duty service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent under DC 5201, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his symptoms. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or arthritis. For TDIU, the evidence shows that the Veteran has been employed in clerical positions with federal contractors but was unable to return to work after completing substance abuse treatment. As such, he is not precluded from obtaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and arthritis in the right hand are related to his military service, but there is insufficient evidence to establish a connection between his right shoulder disability and service.