Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's TDIU rating was granted effective January 14, 2009. The Board denied an earlier effective date.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various joint conditions, including arthritis of the right foot, left shoulder, right hip, and upper and lower spine, all claimed as secondary to his service-connected bilateral knee disability. The case has been remanded due to scheduling issues.

The Board has ordered additional development due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination of both shoulders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims for increased initial evaluations for right shoulder rotator cuff strain, degenerative joint disease of the right hip, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant service treatment records and medical documentation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss and left shoulder bursitis. The claim of entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability will be readjudicated after the examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and affording him a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and low back disabilities did not pre-exist his service or were aggravated by it, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's single service-connected left shoulder disability renders him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for residuals of a right chest and shoulder injury, but denied it on the merits. The claim for service connection for residuals of a right foot and ankle injury is still pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded due to incomplete records, including missing service treatment records and verification of his periods of active duty. Additional development is needed to address these issues.

The Veteran's muscle and joint pain of the left shoulder is not related to service, but his early degenerative changes in the right hip are considered service-connected.,Fatigue, headaches, and night sweats are all found to be related to service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder tendonitis, left knee sprain, and bilateral ankle disabilities have been denied as there is no current disability found in her medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a cervical spine disorder, left and right shoulder disorders, a left knee disorder, a right wrist disorder, a left wrist disorder, tinnitus, and a sinus disorder. The appeal was based on new evidence submitted after her initial claim.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed right shoulder and back disorders, as well as to evaluate his service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and left knee disabilities, as well as an increased rating for lumbar spine disability, are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that the Veteran's left hip osteopenia and loss of bilateral shoulder muscle mass are not related to his service-connected spine disabilities, and thus denied these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and right knee disorders, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his time in military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected spinal disability does not result in any of the claimed conditions, and thus these claims are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC benefits based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate.