Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing and obtaining an examination of his left shoulder disorder. The earlier effective date claim will be addressed in the context of the rating decision.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and clarifying the Veteran's statements regarding his right shoulder symptoms.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder conditions have been evaluated at 10 percent for the entire appeals period. The VA examinations indicate that his range of motion is limited, with pain on motion and additional loss during flare-ups.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition, which includes degenerative joint disease with rotator cup and labrum tears, has been rated at 40 percent since September 18, 2012. The Board found that the evidence supported a higher rating based on ankylosis of the glenohumeral joint.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and has determined that new evidence received since the last final denial raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Board also found that the current right shoulder disorder is more likely related to post-service employment duties, including heavy lifting, rather than an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral osteoarthritis of the shoulders is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and a right shoulder disability due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and translation of German documents. The issues are whether his bilateral knee disability, right shoulder disability, and undiagnosed illness manifested by chronic fatigue are related to his service.

The Veteran's current left shoulder disability is found to be the result of an injury in active service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board found no evidence of arthritis or other chronic disability within one year post-service, and the VA examiner did not find a link between current low back and shoulder conditions and service. The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder condition, right calf condition, left thigh condition, and tinnitus, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's asthma, right shoulder disability, and left knee disability are all found to be related to service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability are not related to service. The evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being REMANDED due to the submission of new and material evidence. The right shoulder and left foot disabilities may be reopened, but the back disability remains denied.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and bilateral shoulder disabilities that are secondary to the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The Veteran is assigned a 30 percent rating for these conditions.

The Board denied extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's left and right shoulder disabilities, finding that the symptoms were adequately described by the existing rating criteria.

The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of a right shoulder disorder and denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service connection claim for left shoulder disability is granted as the condition had its onset during his combat service in Iraq. The appeal regarding the left elbow disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was denied. The Board also found that there is no evidence to support a right shoulder disability during his period of active duty, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is found to be related to his service-connected right shoulder disorder, and the effective date for the grant of service connection will not be changed.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a rating increase on his right shoulder condition has been withdrawn.