Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA treatment records.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have current right shoulder or right ankle disorders and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, diabetes mellitus, type II, and various orthopedic conditions. The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed to assess the current severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and additional VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected impingement syndrome of the right shoulder has been rated at 10 percent since July 11, 2012. The current rating is appropriate based on limitation of motion to shoulder level.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current bilateral shoulder disability, right upper arm disability, or back disability. The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection, and his right shoulder disorder claim was reopened but not yet decided.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability of DJD and left shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to injuries sustained in service. The issues of increased rating for PTSD and TDIU remain pending.

The Veteran withdrew his applications to reopen the claims of service connection for a lumbar spine disability and left shoulder disorder as secondary to the service-connected cervical spine disability. The Board dismissed these issues.

The Board finds that the evidence is against a finding of a right shoulder disability causally related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected injuries from a slip and fall in the VA parking lot are not considered to be caused by VA treatment, thus denying his claim for 1151 benefits.

The Veteran's increased rating for the right shoulder injury and initial higher rating for neck pain are granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, arthritis and chronic tendonitis of the left shoulder, and lichen simplex chronicus have been granted service connection. The Veteran received a 10% disability rating for his left shoulder condition effective January 22, 2011.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for unspecified joint pain, hemorrhoids, and degenerative bone disease were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it is secondary to his service-connected conditions, including major depression, failed neck syndrome with degenerative joint disease and right C-5 radiculopathy, acromioclavicular sprain of the right shoulder with Mumford procedures, right knee chondromalacia and left knee chondromalacia.

The Veteran's lung disability has been rated at 100% since June 14, 2012. The left shoulder and right knee disabilities have also received increased evaluations.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed low back, left shoulder, and left hand disabilities were not related to service and denied his claims.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to have become manifest during his active duty service and has persisted. The right shoulder disability is found to be at least as likely as not incurred or aggravated during a period of active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting a current examination. The issues of entitlement to initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for disc protrusion of the lumbar spine and impingement and thoracic outlet syndrome of the right shoulder will be addressed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, diagnosed as left knee, right ankle, left ankle, bilateral hip, back, bilateral shoulder, bilateral elbow, bilateral wrist, and right knee disabilities, was aggravated beyond its natural course during his active duty.