Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling an in-person hearing due to audio distortions and lost recordings of a previous videoconference hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability as there was no diagnosed condition and no evidence that his symptoms were related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for left shoulder and lumbar spine disorders due to a hearing officer's absence.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected as it had its onset from an injury, disease or event of active service origin.,The Veteran's conduction aphasia and receptive aprosodia (stuttering) are service-connected as they had their onset from an injury, disease or event of active service origin.,There is no evidence to support the claim for a cognitive disability. The Veteran has not been diagnosed with this condition during service or within one year after separation, and it is unrelated to any injury or disease in service.,The Veteran's headache disability does not meet the criteria for service connection as there is no evidence of such a condition during service or within one year after separation.,The Veteran has an undiagnosed illness manifested by sore and tender muscles/joint pain of the elbows, shoulders, calves, and knees. This condition had its onset from an injury, disease, or event of active service origin.,The Veteran has an undiagnosed illness manifested by low back pain. This condition also had its onset from an injury, disease, or event of active service origin.

The Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions that are related to his service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability is remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of his claimed period of active duty training in the summer of 1965 and scheduling of a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right shoulder or low back disability for which service connection can be granted, and thus denied both issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder and right shoulder disorder were not incurred or aggravated by active military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's service-connected scars of the back of the neck, right and left shoulder areas, and mid back have been rated as 10 percent disabling since November 2007. The current rating is considered appropriate given the nature and extent of his scars.

The Veteran's heart and lung disorders, diagnosed as cardiomyopathy, asthma, and COPD, are proximately due to or the result of service-connected schizophrenia.

The Veteran's back disability is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his military service. His bilateral foot and shoulder disabilities are pending as the evidence is insufficient to determine their connection to service.

The Board found no evidence to support the appellant's claims for service connection of a bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, hypertension, or respiratory disability. The Board concluded that these conditions were not caused by his service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for her service-connected right hip strain with arthritis, right shoulder arthroscopy, eczematoid dermatitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal by agreeing to the assigned disability ratings.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder, which was manifested by chronic pain, weakness, stiffness, and loss of motion (flexion to at least 45 degrees and abduction to at least 90 degrees), did not warrant a disability rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including congestive heart failure and disorders of the cervical spine, right wrist, left shoulder, and right hip. The decision is based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability and remanded his claims of increased ratings for lumbosacral strain and dorsal spine compression fractures. The case is now being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current, chronic left shoulder disability and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to notification from his authorized representative prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective September 18, 2007, as he met the schedular criteria for a combined rating of at least 70% due to his service-connected disabilities and became unemployable on that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and the acquisition of relevant medical records. The case will be adjudicated again after all necessary steps are taken.