Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, and he is granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The appeal for a higher rating for the right shoulder disability was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that his lumbar degenerative joint and disc disease was rated appropriately at 20 percent. The issues of cervical spine, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities were also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder characterized as major depressive disorder and left shoulder arthritis. The Veteran's depression is found to be at least as likely as not caused by his military service, while the left shoulder arthritis is also found to be at least as likely as not incurred in service.

The Board has determined that there is no current disability in the left heel and insufficient evidence to support a finding of service connection for residuals of a left heel fracture. The Veteran's claimed left shoulder disorder may be related to her childhood injury, but the VA examiner found no clear and unmistakable evidence that it preexisted service or worsened beyond its natural progression during service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service personnel records and further verification of the appellant's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's muscle injury to groups I, II, III, and IV of the left shoulder is already rated as 50 percent disabling due to prosthetic implantation. A separate rating for this condition would result in pyramiding.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection have been granted, with the exception of his claim for bilateral elbow conditions. The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen claims for bilateral shoulder disorders, neck muscle strain, conjunctivitis, and hypertension prior to January 26, 2001. The Veteran's GAD claim is also granted, but with an effective date of August 20, 2004.

The Board has found that there are missing components necessary to adjudicate the Veteran's appeals, including a Statement of the Case (SOC) and VA Form 9. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and review, including scheduling a hearing if requested by the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining missing VA treatment records and scheduling new examinations for his right shoulder and headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The denial includes the new and material evidence claim for benign prostatic hyperplasia, as well as the secondary service connection claims for left shoulder acromioclavicular arthrosis, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder, and left arm disorder.

The Board has ordered additional development of the record to obtain private medical records and an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disabilities. The claim will be further adjudicated after this development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for the issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) regarding issues related to PTSD and nervous condition, as well as scheduling another Board videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The claims of service connection and increased ratings are pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased rating, TDIU, and service connection were denied. The Board found no current diagnoses of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a right shoulder disorder. The Board finds that additional development is necessary, including obtaining VA medical examination and reviewing the claims file to clarify the etiology of any current right shoulder disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a left shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, neck disorder, low back disorder, bilateral foot disorder (other than the fractured third metatarsal), bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and headache disorder. The rating assigned remains at noncompensable throughout the entire period on appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work. The TDIU claim remains pending.

The Veteran requested withdrawal of all issues on appeal due to satisfaction with her current 100 percent combined disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disorder, including arthritis, was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim for service connection.