Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if service connection can be established for the Veteran's left shoulder disability and right shoulder disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, which include right lower extremity varicose veins, stasis dermatitis of the right lower leg and foot, left knee degenerative joint disease, chin scars, and right shoulder degenerative changes with rotator cuff tendonitis. The Veteran's combined evaluation has been 70 percent since May 31, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a left shoulder disability, as well as his requests for initial ratings for right knee injury/meniscal tear and scarring associated with that condition. The Veteran was also not granted TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral hand disabilities are related to service. The right arm radiculopathy is also found to be related to a service-connected condition (cervical spine disability).

The Board has remanded this case due to the Veteran's request for a videoconference hearing. The appeal is not about service connection at all, as it pertains to scheduling issues.

The Veteran is entitled to TDIU from May 3, 2013 due to his service-connected cyclothymic disorder. Special monthly compensation was granted effective July 6, 2015.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and back conditions are related to his in-service motorcycle accident, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that an effective date prior to June 8, 2009 is not warranted for the grant of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, right knee, left knee, and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than March 9, 2010 for a 10 percent rating for left shoulder DJD as there was no evidence of a change in disability level within one year prior to the date of claim.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, characterized by painful motion and limited range of motion at the shoulder level, warrants a 20 percent initial rating under Diagnostic Code 5201.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right shoulder injury is denied as there was no evidence of a current disability, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any in-service event resulted in such a disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of heat exhaustion is denied as there was no evidence of a current disability, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that any in-service event resulted in such a disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral foot and shoulder disabilities were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between his current conditions and active military service.

The Board granted initial non-compensable ratings for bilateral shoulder strain, effective from July 3, 2012. Effective that date, the Veteran is entitled to a 20 percent rating for his service-connected lumbosacral spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the current severity of his right shoulder disability, the nature and etiology of his right knee disorder, and the nature and etiology of his hypertension.

The Veteran's left ankle disorder, right shoulder rotator cuff disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral knee disorder were not shown to be related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if he has a right shoulder disability related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and a surgical scar of the right shoulder, finding that there is at least an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence in favor of the Veteran's claims. The claim for TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities have been rated at the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 5201, resulting in a 20 percent rating for each shoulder.

The Board granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, ED secondary to DM, hypertension secondary to DM, and lumbar and cervical spine disabilities. The Board also granted a TDIU rating.