Shoulder decisions — 2000

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected disability pension is denied as he did not have active military service during a recognized period of war.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for arthritis of the left shoulder, right shoulder, and lumbosacral spine to 20 percent each.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been presented to reopen his skin disorder and psychiatric disorder claims have also been referred back to the RO.

The veteran's lumbosacral strain with spondylolisthesis, right knee injury, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, and left shoulder injury are all rated at their highest possible levels. The scar of the right lower leg is also rated appropriately.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current chronic cervical spine or thoracic spine disability, and thus service connection for these conditions is denied. The claim for left shoulder disability was previously denied due to lack of evidence showing a current disability related to service.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 8, 1981 for service connection for a left shoulder disability secondary to tuberculosis is denied. The RO did not commit clear and unmistakable error in the October 1952 or December 1982 rating decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches and increased evaluations for chondromalacia of the left knee, right knee, arthralgia of the left knee, and arthralgia of the right knee. The post-operative excision of loose body, right shoulder, with arthralgia is also rated at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran currently has a low back disorder and that it is related to his service. The claims for service connection for left knee, wrist, and shoulder disorders are granted.

The Board has denied reopening the claims for service connection for back and left shoulder disorders, but granted an increased rating of 10% for nasal fracture. The claim for right fifth finger fracture residuals remains unresolved.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased rating of cervical spine condition and service connection for residuals of right ankle sprain, right shoulder strain, left wrist injury, sinusitis/myalgia, and spinal tap. The veteran appealed these decisions.

The April 1946 rating decision granted service connection for the right shoulder fracture and laceration of the cheek, with a 40% rating. The January 1995 rating decision did not contain clear and unmistakable error.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection for various disabilities, including right hand disability, left ear hearing loss, PTSD, spondylolysis of L5 vertebra, and right shoulder and right ear hearing loss. The decision also found that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen these claims.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities had increased to warrant a TDIU as of October 29, 1996. The effective date for the grant of entitlement to TDIU is set at this date.

The Board has granted increased disability evaluations for the veteran's service-connected residuals of frozen feet and right shoulder injury with muscular atrophy and weakness, effective January 12, 1998.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased evaluations of sinusitis, right shoulder injury, and ligament injury to the right wrist as there were no timely substantive appeals filed.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for disability of the right upper extremity, including the shoulder. The decision is based on the evidence and reasoning provided in the original decision.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and an increased rating for chronic sinusitis, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's post-operative residuals of left shoulder dislocation, finding that the condition is primarily manifested by slight limitation of motion and painful motion.

The RO reduced the veteran's convalescent rating from 100% to 80%, effective October 1, 1948. The decision is final as the veteran did not appeal within one year.