Shoulder decisions — 2000

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for left shoulder disability, to include arthritis, is not well-grounded and denied it.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA specialist examination of both knees and notification to the veteran regarding the denial of his claim as not well grounded.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for chronic right shoulder disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as they were not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for chemical exposure to the eyes, groin strain, and left shoulder bursitis are not well-grounded because there is no competent medical evidence of current disabilities related to his period of service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including fatigue, dermatitis of the feet, and upper gastrointestinal disability are granted due to their being related to undiagnosed illnesses possibly associated with service in the Southwest Asia theater during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of both shoulders and epicondylitis of the left elbow, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims. The claim for an increased evaluation for arthritis of the lumbar spine was also denied.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of right shoulder and neck pain as secondary to the service-connected vasovagal syncope with asystole and pacemaker insertion. The veteran's claim is well grounded, but a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability remains denied.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current left shoulder disability and his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's current right shoulder disability is not related to service, but granted an increased rating for his moderate restrictive lung defect with mild flow limitation.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a disorder of the eyes is not well grounded, and his appeal for an original evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tendonitis and arthritis of the right shoulder is denied as not warranted.

The veteran's right shoulder disability is manifested by limitation of motion to shoulder level, with complaints of pain, weakness, and stiffness. The Board finds that the evidence does not preponderate against a finding of an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for service-connected residuals of a right shoulder injury with limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of exposure to ionizing radiation, including various symptoms such as bleeding gums, rashes, ulcers, bones and joints, kidney stone, gallbladder, lost teeth, spurs in the shoulders, and headaches, are not well-grounded. The claim for suspected cancer as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation is also not well-grounded.

The veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation benefits was denied because his employment as a corrections officer did not meet the requirements of being suitable and he had overcome the effects of impairment in his job skills.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and conducting VA examinations to determine the nature of any current left leg and shoulder disorders, as well as assessing the impact of PTSD on the veteran's social and industrial adaptability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, finding that new evidence did not establish aggravation of a pre-existing condition during active duty.

The Board found that the veteran's bursitis of the right shoulder and hip were incurred in service. The other claims for undiagnosed illness due to exposure to environmental factors or an undetermined illness were not well grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations related to her right shoulder, thumb, arm, wrist, left knee, and TMJ disorders. The issues were adjudicated as part of a larger appeal regarding de Quervain's syndrome.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral shoulder disability originated in service and granted service connection for this condition. The issue of a rating in excess of 30 percent for major depression with post-traumatic stress disorder is also addressed, but no specific decision was made.