Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was received by VA on January 3, 2013. The effective date of the grant of TDIU is set at this date as there is no evidence showing that it was factually ascertainable that TDIU was warranted in the year prior to the date of claim.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability has been rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating available for limitation of motion of the minor (left) arm.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, or right knee disorders. As a result, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine if he has any service-connected disabilities or if they are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were granted, with a noncompensable rating assigned for sinusitis effective May 15, 2006. The Veteran was also granted service connection for various disabilities including radiculopathy of the upper extremities, right wrist disability, left knee disability, right arm disability, right knee disability, sciatic nerve disability, and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach disorder, increased rating for right ankle disability, and initial ratings for degenerative arthritis of the shoulders and knees were denied. The reduction in evaluation for chronic lumbar strain with degenerative joint disease was also found to be improper.

The Veteran's appeal on the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 60 percent for Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome and whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen claims of service connection for a neck disability and left ovarian/pelvic pain has been withdrawn. The remaining appeals are addressed below.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right shoulder degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain have been denied as his conditions do not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board hearing and issuance of a statement of the case for certain claims.

The Veteran's surgery on her service-connected left shoulder resulted in a one-month temporary total rating for convalescence, as the evidence shows she required at least four weeks of passive range of motion therapy and used a sling until April 2, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and considering all evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Travel Board hearing and for issuance of an SOC on the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder, a bilateral elbow disorder, and a bilateral hip disorder. The evidence is in equipoise with respect to whether these disorders are related to active military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition has been reopened, and his mood disorder is rated at the highest possible rating of 70 percent. However, he remains entitled to a higher rating for his residuals from cervical spine surgery.

The Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are granted as service-connected.,Service connection is also granted for the right and left shoulder disabilities, but their disposition remains unknown.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and needs further examination for the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU and his service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has restored the Veteran's previous 20% disability rating for his service-connected right shoulder supraspinatus tendonitis, effective from when it was last granted in November 2004.

The Board denied service connection for glaucoma, an acquired psychiatric disability, and other conditions. The Veteran appealed these decisions to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Veterans Court), which granted a joint motion vacating the May 2009 decision denying service connection for glaucoma and an acquired psychiatric disability and remanded those issues to the Board.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the appellant requested withdrawal of his appeals for increased ratings for C5-6 herniated disc, right shoulder dislocation and left upper extremity radiculopathy.