Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left shoulder impingement syndrome, right ankle degenerative joint disease, and left ankle sprain and degenerative changes.

The Board has ordered another VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder disability, specifically whether it is related to service or aggravated by a pre-existing condition. The case is now remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent effective March 21, 2009. Service connection for right and left knee disabilities, left shoulder disability, and bilateral pes planus are granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as he does not have current diagnoses of the claimed conditions and there is no evidence linking any in-service events to his current disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent for BCC of the head, face, and neck prior to May 11, 2010.

The Veteran's current left shoulder, left ankle and status post fracture of the rib disabilities are reasonably shown to have resulted from falls due to his service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has found no evidence of an in-service incurrence or a nexus between the Veteran's current neck, left hand, low back, and right shoulder disabilities and his military service. As such, the claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the Veteran's current arthritis of the neck, back, shoulders, hands, knees, and ankles as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in or within one year following service.

The Board granted service connection and assigned a 10 percent rating for cholinergic urticaria, effective from the date of the decision. The ratings for right knee musculoligamentous strain, right shoulder strain (major extremity), and right ankle sprain remain unchanged.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately compensates for his symptoms. The evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Veteran's current left shoulder disability, including degenerative joint disease, rotator cuff tear, and glenoid labrum tear, is related to his military service. The Board finds that the evidence supports granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The claims for left knee chondromalacia with arthritis, right knee chondromalacia with arthritis, and right shoulder arthritis are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 30 percent, which does not meet the schedular criteria for assignment of a TDIU. The evidence does not indicate that his service-connected disabilities alone prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied an increased rating for the appellant's service-connected right shoulder disability, finding that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on the current evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issues include reopening his service connection claim for right shoulder injury and seeking increased ratings for left shoulder disability, weight gain, degenerative disc disease with low back pain, neck injury, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, and left knee patellofemoral syndrome.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's left shoulder acromioplasty residuals are currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating of 30 percent is warranted based on functional loss.

The Veteran's initial increased disability rating for left shoulder disability is denied, and a 30 percent rating is granted from January 16, 2013. The issue of entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis, left knee, remains pending.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and cervical lymph node cancer, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right and left shoulder disabilities, including osteoarthritis (OA) and degenerative joint disease (DJD), are not related to his service or any incident therein. The evidence does not show these conditions to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service.