Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, which reflects occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks.,For the lumbar spine disability, a rating higher than 10 percent is not warranted due to limitation of motion. The combined range of motion exceeds 120 degrees, indicating no significant loss of function.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 10 percent and is productive of painful, limited motion.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left acromioclavicular (AC) joint due to its presumptive nature under VA regulations. The claims for other conditions are remanded as additional evidence is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine and bilateral shoulder disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by active service, and therefore denied these claims.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective March 20, 2009.,The Veteran's service-connected right foot cold injury is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for left thumb dislocation, right shoulder arthritis, right elbow epicondylitis, left elbow epicondylitis, and obstructive sleep apnea. The original decisions denying these claims are final.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA and private treatment records related to his bilateral knee, shoulder, elbow, and ankle disorders. The case will be readjudicated after these records are obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of both shoulders is not related to service, and it was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability nor is it a result of herbicide exposure. As such, his claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder condition and hypertension with cardiomegaly are being remanded due to the need for updated medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran seeks an increased rating for his service-connected left shoulder dislocation, but the case is being remanded due to a lack of recent examination.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have a chronic injury to his left wrist or right shoulder during service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptoms. Therefore, the claims for service connection for these disabilities are denied.

The Veteran's residuals of shrapnel wound to the left shoulder, which included a scar and pain, were rated as 20 percent disabling from February 4, 1969 to August 19, 1992.

The reduction of the disability rating for orchiectomy with removal of the right testicle from 30 percent to zero percent was proper. The Veteran's subacromial bursitis of the right shoulder has not met the criteria for a higher initial disability rating.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, manifested by limitation of motion equivalent to 25 degrees from the side, is now rated at 40 percent disabling.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to determine his employment status and whether he has an employment handicap that prevents him from pursuing vocational rehabilitation training.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and personnel records, and providing the Veteran with an orthopedic examination to determine if his current bilateral hip conditions, left shoulder condition, and low back condition are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of discussion on whether an examination or opinion is warranted and because the right arm condition is inextricably intertwined with the neck condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, including radiation exposure, hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, arthritis, left shoulder pain, hand pain, wrist pain, low back pain, and ankle pain. The Board found no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional action due to insufficient detail in the examination report and the need to determine if service-connected diabetes mellitus aggravated the claimed back disability or arthritis.

The Board has determined that the claim is not ready for final decision and requires additional medical examination to determine if the appellant suffers from an additional disability due to VA treatment, specifically reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD).

The Board found that the Veteran's back disability was not incurred in or aggravated during service and denied his claim for service connection.