Shoulder Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a current right shoulder, forearm, or elbow disability and determined that the Veteran's right hip disorder is not related to his military service. The appeal was denied for all issues.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee and right shoulder disabilities, finding no current disability related to active service or events therein.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, quadriparesis, transverse myelitis and degenerative changes in the cervical spine, transverse myelitis and moderate degenerative changes at T11-T12, neurogenic bowel, and neurogenic bladder, all of which are related to a severe motor vehicle accident sustained during service.

The Veteran's right shoulder trapezius strain is not manifested by movement limited to 25 degrees from the side or as a severe muscle disability, and thus does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent. The initial compensable ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis and hypertension are also denied.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee, shoulder, and low back disorders are being remanded due to the unavailability of service treatment records. A VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim that his substantive appeal was timely filed, as it was received more than 60 days after the date of actual receipt of the SOC and more than one year after the notification of the September 2008 rating decision he had intended to appeal.

The Veteran's cervical spine and left shoulder disabilities have been reopened, and service connection has been granted for both conditions. The effective date is pending further development.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a right arm disability, including as secondary to his service-connected shell fragment wound residuals of the right arm, is granted. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examination reports and need for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities. The issues of initial increased ratings for TBI, posttraumatic headaches, and insomnia are also pending.

The claim for service connection for hypertension has not been reopened due to the lack of new and material evidence, but the claim for a low back disorder was reopened.,The Veteran's low back disorder is considered direct service connection as there is no evidence showing it occurred in or was caused by service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's service connection claims, including obtaining records from military treatment facilities and clarifying her status as a dependent. The case will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, initial compensable rating, and service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the hypertension and PTSD claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and issuing a statement of the case for the increased rating claim. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability and lumbar strain service connection claims are also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral shoulder disability, low back disability, sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, eye disability (undiagnosed illness), sleep apnea (undiagnosed illness), chronic fatigue syndrome (undiagnosed illness), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeal was also denied regarding the reopening of a claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that there is no diagnosed right shoulder disability present during the period of this claim, and thus service connection for a right shoulder disability cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations.