Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is not related to his active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder labral tear, status post repair is being remanded due to the need for additional development including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The issues on appeal include service connection for various disabilities, as well as rating claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to reconcile conflicting medical evidence and provide opinions regarding the onset of his claimed disabilities.

The Board finds the evidence is evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment, thus granting a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus, left wrist DJD, and hepatitis C are related to service. The right shoulder, right knee, left knee, low back, and respiratory disabilities are not shown to be related to service. Bilateral hearing loss is also not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities were denied as there was no evidence of additional functional loss or impairment due to pain, weakness, fatigue, or incoordination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral shoulder disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and right shoulder disability. The claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability (anxiety and depression) is remanded as it involves a new issue not previously addressed.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, IBS, and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine were all granted with effective dates of May 29, 2014. The claim for a higher rating for tinnitus was denied as there is no legal basis for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 6260. The claims for service connection for left shoulder disability and cervical spine disability were not addressed due to the remand instructions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for bilateral leg disabilities were dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inadequate VA examination and opinions regarding the nature and etiology of his bilateral shoulder disability. The case will be returned to the Board after compliance with all necessary actions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the payment of additional compensation for his dependent spouse is granted, with the effective date being November 13, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including impingement syndrome, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and rotator cuff tear, had its onset during service. As such, the criteria for secondary service connection have been met.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to June 16, 2011 is being remanded due to the need for a retrospective opinion on cumulative functional impairment of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a new VA examination due to unavailability of treatment records from his period of active service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for arthritis in multiple joints.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The case will be returned to the Board after new examinations are obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is not etiologically linked to any in-service injury, event, or disease and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's left shoulder disability is aggravated by his service-connected cervical and thoracolumbar spine conditions.