Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU rating was reasonably construed as including claims for service connection of multiple conditions. The effective date for the TDIU rating is set at November 4, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities, specifically their onset during service or relation to a left shoulder injury.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right wrist and hand muscle spasms, left shoulder condition, and psychiatric condition incurred during his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and sustaining employment, as his combined disability rating was only 60 percent.

Service connection and a rating for minimal scarring of the right shoulder associated with a shell fragment wound are granted. A rating greater than 10 percent for neuralgia of the maxillary branch right trigeminal nerve is denied, and a rating greater than 30 percent for Muscle Group I injury of the right shoulder is also denied.

The Board has determined that the effective date for a 10% rating for the right shoulder condition should be May 18, 2012. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination reports and the need for additional opinions regarding functional impairment during flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the claims due to lack of substantial compliance with previous directives and legal inadequacies in the VA examiners' opinions. The claims are now pending for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to her death. The claims for service connection and a higher rating are moot.

The Veteran's right upper extremity muscle injuries, specifically the ruptured right biceps muscle and right shoulder nerve damage, have been granted a rating of 60 percent since July 15, 2014.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The right shoulder disability case is being sent back for a new VA opinion, while the TDIU case requires obtaining missing VA treatment records and arranging for a new VA examination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of 10 percent and 20 percent for right knee and shoulder disabilities, respectively. As a result, the claims are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their onset during or related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's increased evaluation for his service-connected right shoulder disability, to include painful motion, was denied. The Board found that the current symptoms did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as his left and right knee disabilities. The reasons are that VA needs to obtain additional medical records from SSA, provide an addendum opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his active duty service, and consider new evidence including publications on whiplash injuries.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder disability is denied. The evidence does not support a finding of fibrous union, nonunion, or dislocation of the humerus, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5202. The Veteran's current range of motion limitations do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5201 and 5203.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, except for the grant of a 10% rating for right knee osteoarthritis. Other conditions and issues remained denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his service-connected right wrist fracture. The separate secondary service connection claims for a right shoulder, forearm, elbow, and hand condition are also referred to the AOJ.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder disability, ESRD, and depression and anxiety as secondary to ESRD are remanded due to new evidence submitted.