Shoulder decisions — 2000

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and entitlement to an increased rating for his right shoulder injury. The claim of TDIU is addressed in the remand section.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current left shoulder disability or migraine headaches to military service, and thus denied his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further adjudication, including consideration of service connection for arthritis of the right shoulder and/or elbow, as well as a separate evaluation if warranted.

The veteran's claims for a higher evaluation and an earlier effective date were granted, while the claim of service connection for major depression was found to be well grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of injury to the right forearm are well-grounded. The RO should schedule a VA examination coincident with a flare-up in his skin disorders and ensure all pertinent medical evidence is associated with the claims file.

The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for the left shoulder scar effective from March 7, 1990 and found new and material evidence to reopen claims of service connection for hypertension and irritable bowel syndrome. The claim for brachial plexus injury was also reopened.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his left shoulder sprain disability, which has been rated at 20 percent. The RO must provide a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the condition and determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn before the Board could make a decision.

The veteran's service-connected residuals left shoulder sprain is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher 30 percent rating is warranted based on the current symptoms.

The Board has determined that the veteran's disability rating for post-operative residuals of recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher than 20 percent rating.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection of bilateral varicose veins as secondary to his right knee disability was not well grounded. The claims for increased evaluations were denied as there was no evidence showing that the disabilities had worsened beyond what was contemplated by the current ratings.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right shoulder disability is being remanded to allow for a VA examination and consideration of the extent of functional loss due to pain and other factors.

The Board has restored the previously assigned 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's left shoulder disability, considering functional loss due to pain and weakness.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right shoulder disability is well-grounded and deferred pending further development. The RO must obtain all relevant treatment records, including those from the VAMC in August 1999, and schedule a VA examination to assess the severity of the right shoulder disability.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's history of a right ankle injury and assigned a 10 percent rating for his service-connected scar of the left shoulder, with retained metallic foreign body.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and consideration of all pertinent law and regulations.

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a fracture of the left clavicle is granted. The VA will now consider whether his current shoulder and neck symptoms are related to his pre-existing condition.

The Board found that the veteran's left shoulder disability was not incurred in service and denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's current arthritis of the feet had its onset in service, but concluded that arthritis in other joints such as the hips, back, neck, and shoulders was not present until many years after service and has not been medically linked to joint pain in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for pinched nerve of the left shoulder and headaches are not well grounded, as there is no competent medical evidence showing current disabilities or a link to service.