Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination in determining whether his left shoulder disorder had its origins in service.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the appeal regarding whether a timely substantive appeal was filed with respect to a March 2009 rating decision that assigned an initial rating for a left shoulder condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, including residuals of a torn rotator cuff, requires additional development and an examination to determine if his current condition is related to his period of service. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to missing service treatment records and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on the additional evidence.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for GERD and left shoulder arthritis, but denied both on the merits. The claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD remains without legal merit.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder degenerative arthritis is incurred during his active duty service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for left elbow degenerative arthritis will be remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and a right shoulder disorder, finding no current diagnoses or evidence of in-service onset. The claim for increased rating for gastritis and stomach ulcers was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee instability. The claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee arthritis is also granted.

The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder disorder during service and concluded that the current right shoulder conditions are not related to service. The Veteran's claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for scotomata of the right eye and a left shoulder condition were denied. The Board found that there is no current evidence of these conditions, and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested the withdrawal of his appeal in July 2013.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations for each of the claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and effective dates have been denied. The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding a higher rating for internal derangement of the left knee, as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to the issuance of a decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess his right shoulder and lumbar spine conditions.

The Veteran's postoperative right shoulder with DJD has been rated at 20 percent since November 1994, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Veteran's initial evaluations for left knee disability, right hip trochanteric bursitis (left hip), and left shoulder impingement syndrome with bicep tendonitis were denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent prior to January 23, 2009 and from January 23, 2009 through February 28, 2010. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected renal failure and postoperative residuals of a kidney transplant resulted in the termination of his total rating. The Board finds that the reduction was not proper due to lack of compliance with applicable regulations, but restores the original 100% rating for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee and right shoulder disorders are related to his active military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current back disability was not manifest in service and is unrelated to service. The left shoulder rotator cuff injury is also not related to service or a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's sinusitis does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6513.