Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck and right shoulder disorders are not related to his active service, including an in-service motor vehicle accident. The conditions were first diagnosed many years after service and do not have a direct link to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including those related to his right knee disorder, left knee disability, left shoulder disability, and migraine headaches.

The Veteran's left shoulder impingement syndrome and right shoulder strain with post-operative repair are currently rated at 10 percent each, as they do not result in arm movement limited to the shoulder level.,Both conditions have been evaluated based on their current functional limitations without additional consideration of service connection or exposure basis.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA vocational rehabilitation records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and right forearm disabilities are not related to his service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his vascular (migraine) headaches, bilateral inguinal hernia, cervical spine disability, and right shoulder disability have been granted. The rating for the vascular (migraine) headaches is now at its highest possible level of 30 percent since July 5, 2011. The ratings for his cervical spine and right shoulder disabilities remain at 30 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for residuals of a left clavicle fracture were denied. The Board found no evidence linking the current disabilities to active duty service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling, and his bilateral plantar fasciitis has not met the criteria for a compensable rating. The Board found that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the right shoulder or a compensable rating for the bilateral plantar fasciitis.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings on his left shoulder disability were denied. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders and for flat feet.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left shoulder disorder in service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for various conditions, including right leg injury residuals, left scrotal mass, arthritis and bursitis of hands and shoulders, left thumb condition, cervical spine degenerative changes, left ankle disorder, right leg fracture residuals/pain, mumps residuals, hypertension, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and insomnia. The claims were denied as the evidence did not support service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inconsistencies in the November 2009 VA examiner's opinion and the need to obtain SSA records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder, hip and knee disabilities are etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hip disability and left shoulder disorder, including arthritis, were not incurred or aggravated during service. The disabilities are also not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that further development of the Veteran's claims is warranted, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his PTSD with dyssomnia, left shoulder disability, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. The case is REMANDED for these actions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The acquired psychiatric disorder was not shown to be related to service or any disability incurred therein, gastritis is presumed to be due to service, and the left shoulder disability has no evidence of being related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right ear hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes. The Veteran's currently manifested left ear hearing loss first manifested many years after service and is not causally related to event(s) during his military service. Tinnitus had its onset during active service. There is evidence of sleep problems during military service, competent medical evidence of a current diagnosis of sleep apnea, and competent allegations of continuity of sleep problems beginning during service to the present.

The Board has restored a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected residuals of a right shoulder injury, including traumatic degenerative joint disease, finding that there is insufficient evidence to reduce the current rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected deviated septum, warranting service connection. However, there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for his right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple service connection claims and a challenge to the validity of an overpayment of VA benefits. The Board is remanding the case for further development, including adjudicating whether the underlying debt was validly created.