Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including a VA examination and issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) on all issues.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and arranging for VA examinations to determine the nature and likely etiology of his claimed low back, shoulder, knee, and hearing loss conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disorder and spine disorder are related to service, with continuity of symptoms since separation. The claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA medical records and SSA disability determination records. The effective dates of his increased ratings for left temporomandibular joint and right shoulder disabilities may also be reconsidered.

The Veteran has withdrawn her appeals for the claims of service connection for a left shoulder disability, endometriosis, and migraines all claimed as due to MST. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's initial compensable disability rating for impingement syndrome, right shoulder is being remanded due to the need for a contemporaneous VA examination and updated medical records.

The Veteran died from cocaine and methadone intoxication, but there is no evidence of drug abuse prior to August 13, 1981. The claim for REPS benefits is denied as the Veteran did not meet eligibility criteria.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, meeting the criteria for a higher rating. The claim for TDIU on schedular basis has been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, claimed as aches and joint pain in the shoulders, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness, was denied. The evidence does not support granting service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, but further development is needed to address the merits of the underlying service connection claim.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic diarrhea and joint pain, including arthritis of the low back and each shoulder, due to exposure during service in the Gulf War. The Veteran's symptoms are presumed to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of a right elbow or right shoulder disability. The Veteran's left foot disability, characterized by pain, weakness, stiffness, swelling and limited ability to stand or walk for prolonged periods, results in moderate disability.

The Veteran's left shoulder strain has been rated as 10 percent disabling since January 20, 2011. The initial rating of noncompensable prior to that date is granted.

The Board has determined that additional evidentiary development is necessary and the case is being remanded for further action.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and an opinion regarding the care provided by VA.

The Board found no separate and distinct disability of the shoulders other than the service-connected radiculopathy, thus denying service connection for right and left shoulder disorders.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be related to service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. Service connection is also granted for benign prostatic hypertrophy. The Board finds no evidence of a current hearing loss disability in either ear, but grants service connection based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left shoulder, hand and wrist, and knee disorders are not related to his active service. The in-service injuries resolved with treatment and there is no evidence of chronic symptoms since service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with alcohol abuse and various musculoskeletal issues, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 29, 2003 for TDIU was denied as the February 2004 rating decision granting TDIU with that effective date is final and not subject to revision in the absence of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).