Shoulder Board decisions

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

The Veteran's current migraine headaches are presumed to have been incurred during his active service. The Board finds that the Veteran has a continuity of symptomatology since service and grants service connection for this condition.

The evidence does not support the claim that the Veteran's right shoulder and arm disorder is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD rating and service connection for bilateral hearing loss were withdrawn. The Board found no current diagnoses or evidence of a left shoulder, left arm, or left hip disability. Service connection was not established for tinnitus due to lack of in-service exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability and PFB are service-connected as they began during his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right shoulder disability had its onset during his period of active service and grants entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn for the issues of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disability and entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for a burn scar of the right forearm. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of current hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral knee and ankle disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of any clinically ascertainable knee or ankle disability at the time of his separation from service.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea is denied. The Veteran has a CPAP machine, but does not have respiratory failure with cor pulmonale requiring a tracheostomy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder condition existed prior to service and did not undergo a permanent worsening or aggravation during service. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis, but he has been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. There is no clear and unmistakable evidence showing that his current allergic rhinitis was aggravated by military service.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional disability of the right shoulder, which resulted from treatment received at a VA medical facility in April 1993. The case has been remanded due to procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, left shoulder, thoracolumbar spine, and left hip disabilities are not service-connected as they have not been shown to be causally related to his military service.

The Board granted a higher initial rating of 10 percent for the service-connected right shoulder disability from January 1, 2010 to August 13, 2014 and denied any increase thereafter.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis with metatarsalgia is rated at 10 percent since October 2007, and the cervical spine disability is granted as incurred in service. The left shoulder disability (left arm numbness) is not found to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and low back disabilities due to incomplete records of his service medical history. The Veteran will be afforded a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations and a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability did not manifest during or as a result of active military service. The claim is therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and right ankle disabilities have been denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability during active service, and the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is not service-connected, but his headaches are rated at 30%.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, as well as information about the Veteran's time at Camp Lejeune. The claims will be readjudicated based on all received evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for hypertension was withdrawn. The effective date of the increased rating for hypertension is set at December 4, 2009.