Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder injury and residuals of fractured ribs have been denied. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain relevant medical records.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a disability of the upper extremities (bilateral shoulders and arms) and chest, and thus service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the left shoulder, right knee, and left knee. The Veteran's current diagnoses align with his reported symptoms since service separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is secondary to his service-connected Morton's neuroma of the right foot. The Board also found that there is no evidence of a current right or left knee disorder, and arthritis may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with increased ratings for various disabilities and a TDIU. The effective dates are not specified.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria to establish entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability, bilateral upper extremity neuropathy, or bilateral leg disability. The April 2009 rating decision denying service connection for a heart disability is final.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeal, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review it.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability did not meet the criteria for an extension of a temporary total rating beyond September 30, 2009 due to insufficient evidence of severe postoperative residuals.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding military records and treatment records related to the Veteran's Reserve service. The claim will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred or aggravated. The heart condition, hip disability, and right shoulder disability were also not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a right shoulder disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not causally related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's multiple non-service-connected disabilities, including hernias with progression to an intestinal fistula and arthritis of multiple joints, render her helpless or so nearly helpless that she requires the regular aid and attendance of another person for special monthly pension purposes.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The VA Travel Board Hearing did not raise any new issues pertaining to this claim during the course of the hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting left shoulder disability was not aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right shoulder surgery did not result in the need for convalescence beyond June 30, 2010. The Board denied an extension of a temporary total rating based on the need for convalescence following right shoulder surgery.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his right shoulder disability. The claim will be reconsidered and a supplemental statement of the case provided if necessary.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service and arthritis of the right shoulder may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge sitting at the RO. The issues include service connection claims and rating disputes.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a hearing loss disability, cervical spine disability, right shoulder degenerative joint disease, left knee degenerative joint disease with osteochondromatosis, or right knee degenerative joint disease prior to June 1, 2015.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was granted service connection. The Veteran's left foot condition to include plantar fasciitis and his left shoulder disability were not addressed due to lack of appeal.