Shoulder Board decisions

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current right shoulder and neck disabilities to service, thus denying his claims for service connection.

The Board denied an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of L4-L5 and granted a compensable evaluation (10%) for right shoulder compression syndrome.

The veteran's disabilities, when considered in combination, result in his inability to care for some of his daily personal needs without regular personal assistance from his spouse. The veteran is not shown to be substantial confined to his dwelling or immediate premises as a result of disabilities.

The Board found that there is no competent evidence to establish a connection between the appellant's current arthritis and his periods of service, thus denying all claims for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a right shoulder injury in November 1997, finding that the veteran's current condition was not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for chondrosis of the right knee, and entitlement to a compensable rating for mechanical low back pain.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of shell fragment wounds to the face, skin disorder including epidermal cysts and lipoma due to Agent Orange exposure, left shoulder disability, back disability secondary to service connected residuals of shell fragment wounds to the left knee and upper leg, arthritis secondary to service connected residuals of shell fragment wounds to the left knee and upper leg, and residuals of a left hand injury. The Board also denied an increased rating for the residuals of a shell fragment wound to the left knee and upper leg.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for direct service connection and secondary service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar spine, hips, and shoulders are not well grounded. The claim for increased rating on an extraschedular basis for residuals of a gunshot wound to Muscle Group VII of the left forearm is denied as it does not meet the criteria for such a rating. The veteran's claim for separate compensable rating for scars from his gunshot wound to the left forearm is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining clarification from the August 2017 VA examiner regarding which symptoms are related to his service-connected left trapezius strain and whether any non-service-connected conditions represent a progression of that disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability and increased ratings for her bilateral knee disabilities, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected dislocation of the left shoulder, post-operative sequela is currently evaluated at 20 percent and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disability, abdominal hernia, GERD, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral foot disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during the appellant's period of active duty.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims on appeal, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's representative also requested reevaluation of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's depression was rated at 50 percent prior to July 1, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. For TDIU, the Veteran had multiple service-connected disabilities but his education and work experience were sufficient for sedentary or light labor employment.

The Board has remanded three issues related to service connection for cold injury residuals of the left and right shoulders, hands, and knees due to a lack of adequate examination and reasoning.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of gallbladder removal and remanded the other claims due to insufficient evidence.