Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining treatment records. The case will be readjudicated after all necessary steps are taken.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete records and potential need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his shoulder disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating at any point.

The Veteran's appeal is granted, with a compensable evaluation for chronic sprain of the right ankle and an effective date prior to April 5, 2007.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, as he is currently employed as a substitute teacher and his disabilities limit his ability to perform manual labor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder impingement syndrome is etiologically related to her service, specifically a left shoulder injury sustained during National Guard training in April 2001. The claim for service connection for other conditions (right shoulder, cervical spine, and lumbar spine) is granted as well.

The Veteran's chronic sinusitis has been rated at 30 percent since March 12, 2012. The initial rating for the condition remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service and VA treatment records dating prior to 2000. An addendum opinion will be obtained if necessary.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right shoulder impingement syndrome was rated at 20 percent, PTSD with anxiety/depression was rated at 30 percent from February 23, 2011, and the claim for a right knee disability was not supported by evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left thigh disorder characterized by numbness, were denied as secondary to his service-connected residuals of a right ankle fracture.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his claimed conditions are not related to active military service or service-connected disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral ankle sprains, right shoulder strain, back strain, and bilateral knee strain as there was no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his shell fragment wound of the right shoulder and scars on the right chest were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 30 percent for the SFW, or any separate compensable evaluation for Muscle Group III, or any disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the scars.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chloracne and skin cancer of the face and right shoulder are being remanded due to incomplete information or evidence.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings were denied. The Board found that the left thigh graft donor site scar, erectile dysfunction, and PTSD (previously diagnosed as panic disorder) did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Veteran's service records do not show any diagnosed cervical spine, thoracic and lumbar spines, left shoulder, right knee, or left knee disabilities. GERD was first noted after service in August 2008. The Board finds that the Veteran did not have these conditions during service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals concerning all issues related to service connection and TDIU prior to October 22, 2010.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the service-connected recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder, status post Bankart repair, effective from January 14, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for the left shoulder disability with Bankart procedure is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating before June 23, 2009 or a rating higher than 20 percent from that date. The effective date for the grant of a 20 percent rating remains unchanged.