Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left shoulder disability and finds that there is sufficient evidence to support this claim, granting it.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of his hearing preference and subsequent scheduling. The issues include rating adjustment, service connection claims, and reopening of previous claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the need for a new VA examination and additional service treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including shell fragment wounds and psychiatric disorders, are granted. The Board finds that the Veteran engaged in combat with the enemy and his reported injuries during service are credible.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a left shoulder disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not causally related to his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability has been granted service connection with an effective date of June 12, 2013.,The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities have each been granted a separate evaluation at 10 percent.

The Veteran's left shoulder arthritis and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine (neck disability) have been granted service connection. The claim for an increased rating for the neck disability has also been granted, with a current evaluation of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding direct service connection and secondary aggravation of the Veteran's sleep disability by his PTSD. The Veteran now asserts that his sleep apnea may be related to, or aggravated by any of his service-connected disabilities, in addition to his PTSD, as well as the medications used to treat the service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for right shoulder osteoarthritis and maxillary sinusitis with retention cyst have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities have been rated at 20 percent since July 26, 2016. The current ratings are considered appropriate based on the clinical findings and diagnostic testing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including ulnar nerve entrapment, knee disabilities, shoulder disability, neck disability, pes planus, foot neuroma, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The reduction in evaluation for DDD of the lumbar spine was also found to be improper.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of the left shoulder that manifested during, or as a result of, active military service. The claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder is therefore denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal in its entirety through a signed statement dated September 20, 2016.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder injury did not originate during service and therefore, denied his claim for service connection.,Service connection was granted for GERD as it is established to have originated during active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and service personnel records. The Veteran will also undergo examinations to determine the current severity of his bilateral knee chondromalacia, nature and etiology of any cardiac disability, right shoulder and cervical/lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and low back disorders. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left shoulder disability and related scar condition.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a torn rotator cuff of the left shoulder. The Veteran's CAD is rated at 30 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's shoulder disorders are being remanded for additional medical opinions to determine if they are secondary to his service-connected back disability and radiculopathy.