Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the Board is dismissing the case.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is related to his military service and to verify any past shoulder dislocations. The case will be returned for further review.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination and additional development due to an inadequate November 2010 VA examination, which did not address the Veteran's lay reports of right shoulder symptoms in service.

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

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's depressive disorder, NOS is rated at 70 percent effective October 20, 2014.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent effective October 20, 2014.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected right hip strain, left shoulder impingement and arthroscopic debridement with residual scar, chronic right ankle sprain, and left ankle degenerative joint disease were denied. The disabilities are rated based on their direct effects rather than any presumption or secondary theory.

The Veteran's claims for right and left shoulder osteoarthritis, tendonitis of the left shoulder, and peripheral neuropathy of both shoulders were denied effective from June 18, 2003.,Claims for right and left wrist osteoarthritis were also denied effective from February 20, 2004.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and an opinion on the Veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee degenerative arthritis was not manifest in service or to a degree of 10 percent within one year of separation and is unrelated to service. The Board also found no relationship between any current right or left shoulder disability, as shown by MRI reports from July 2014, and service.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's claimed disorders to his active duty service and determined that they are not related to service.

The Board has ordered the case back to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and any relevant American Hospital in Dubai records. The Veteran is also asked to provide authorization for these records.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings have been withdrawn, and the Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for his left and right shoulder disabilities have been granted, but the ratings are still below what he is seeking.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability records and arranging for an orthopedic examination. The issue of TDIU has also been raised.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims can be fully adjudicated. This includes obtaining VA treatment records, providing an addendum opinion from the November 2014 examiner, and reviewing the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right shoulder and left knee disabilities have been withdrawn, effectively dismissing the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including those related to undiagnosed illnesses or chronic multisymptom illnesses. The claims are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are granted, with the exception of his claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for parathyroidectomy with history of hyperthyroidism. The remaining issues on appeal include service connection for a left hip condition, obstructive sleep apnea, and heart condition, all claimed as secondary to service-connected parathyroidectomy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hip and shoulder disorders are not related to his active duty service, including any service-connected conditions. The appeals for these issues have been denied.