Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right knee disorder, manifested by limitation of flexion and recurrent subluxation, and left knee disorder, manifested by limitation of flexion. The Veteran's left shoulder strain is also found to be related to service.

The evidence does not show that the Veteran's septic arthritis of the right shoulder is related to his active military service, including a shrapnel wound injury. The Board finds that the claim for service connection must be denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining private medical records and providing VA examinations for her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings are being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and to obtain outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right knee chondromalacia patella, left knee effusion, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The Veteran's lumbar strain/myositis, left shoulder degenerative joint disease with impingement, and plantar fascia fibromatosis were all rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board found that the evidence does not demonstrate an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and thus denied service connection for this condition. The other issues were also denied as there was no diagnosis of a current disability.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is found to be related to his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO in Los Angeles, California.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inconsistencies in the medical records and need for additional evidence regarding the appellant's service connection claims.

The Board finds that the Veteran was unemployable due to service-connected disabilities since March 1996, and grants an effective date of March 25, 1996 for the award of a TDIU.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, tinnitus, and asthma were all granted service connection. The initial ratings for tinnitus and asthma are set at noncompensable and 30 percent, respectively.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied her claim.

The Board determined that the Veteran's hypertension and bilateral shoulder disorder are not related to his military service, including due to herbicide exposure. The claims for these conditions were denied.

The Board's May 2010 decision denying service connection for a left shoulder condition is being vacated due to lack of discussion and finding. The claim will be remanded for further development, including obtaining VA examination reports.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they are related to his active duty experience. The back disorder, arthritis of multiple joints, hypertension, and OSA do not have a direct link to his military service.,Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and reviewing the claims file by a mental disorders examiner. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on all additional evidence.

The Veteran's left shoulder bursitis was initially rated at 10 percent prior to December 5, 2011. From that date, the rating was increased to 20 percent.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on June 16, 2007 was denied as the circumstances did not constitute a medical emergency and VA facilities were available.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical services provided by Citrus Memorial Hospital on April 27, 2009 were not reimbursable as the treatment was for a service-connected psychiatric disorder and did not meet the criteria for emergency care.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spondylosis with degenerative changes was granted. Claims for arthritis of the left wrist and hand, both feet, left elbow, right elbow, shoulders, hips, ankles, and knees were denied.