Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examination and missing treatment records, as well as the need for a hearing on her sarcoidosis claim.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because he did not file a timely notice of disagreement with the September 2004 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran's left shoulder disability was aggravated by his service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's reported in-service noise exposure is credible and his current tinnitus was manifested within one year of separation from service. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, and a right shoulder disability are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The issues of service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury, back arthritis, and arthritis of both shoulders are inextricably intertwined with the matter of service connection for residuals of a right ankle injury.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection on all three issues at the June 2010 hearing.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for hearing loss and right shoulder infection was reopened, but the evidence does not establish that VA medical services were the proximate cause of any additional disability.

The Veteran's appeal involves three separate issues: a claim for an increased rating for cervical spine disability, a claim for scars from surgery, and a request to reopen his right ankle sprain claim. The Board has referred these claims back to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain updated medical records and schedule him for a VA examination to assess the severity of his left shoulder disability, including any torn labrum and scars. The rating assigned will be determined based on the examination results.

The Board has determined that the March 7, 1995, rating decisions denying service connection for sterility, right shoulder bursitis, and cyst in the right ear did not contain clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep disability, left shoulder disability, and DDD of the cervical spine due to a lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The Board will consider the evidence in its decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and retaining employment consistent with his abilities, aptitudes, and interests; therefore, he does not have a serious employment handicap and is not entitled to vocational rehabilitation training under Chapter 31 of Title 38, United States Code.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional action, including affording him a VA examination and reviewing his claims file.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing left shoulder condition was not aggravated by service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board granted service connection for nerve damage of the right arm, shoulder, and upper back as secondary to service-connected left upper extremity disability. The effective date for TDIU was set at June 24, 1996.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, bilateral shoulder disorder, and bilateral knee disorder. The appeals were decided on a direct basis without any presumption or secondary theory.

The Board has found that the appellant's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, and a left shoulder disability must be remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's asthma, GERD, right shoulder, and right ankle disabilities were not found to warrant increased evaluations. The appellant did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.