Shoulder decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, and thus denied secondary service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a shrapnel wound of the upper lip, and a right shoulder disorder are not well-grounded. The claim for dental trauma is also denied as it does not meet the criteria for treatment purposes.

The Board found that the RO's October 1991 rating decision did not commit clear and unmistakable error in establishing service connection for right superficial parotidectomy residuals. The veteran's claims of entitlement to increased evaluations for hypothyroidism, bilateral hearing loss disability, chronic left shoulder disability, chronic neck disability, multiple joint arthritic disability, and the loss of the sense of smell were denied.

The veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, and his claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted based on new evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability and residuals of a left shoulder injury are not well grounded. The claim for a cervical spine disability is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his military service, while the claim for residuals of a left shoulder injury remains pending but was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral elbow disorder, and bilateral shoulder disorder due to lack of well-grounded evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is service-connected due to in-service noise exposure. The remaining claims for service connection are not well-grounded as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link between any claimed conditions and service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates for his service-connected right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that there was no CUE in the original rating decision or sufficient evidence to warrant a retroactive higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's headaches, blackouts, right shoulder disorder, back disorder, optic nerve damage, and nasal fracture, all claimed as residuals of a motor vehicle accident. The RO also assigned a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's scar above his right eyebrow.

The veteran's shell fragment wounds to the left shoulder and elbow resulted in arthritis, with limited motion. The VA has granted increased ratings for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, and a total rating based on individual unemployability is granted.

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is denied as he does not meet the criteria of having a single service-connected disability rated as 100 percent together with separate service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent, nor is his permanent housebound status due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for low back, cervical spine, and left shoulder disabilities are not well-grounded. The claim for increased rating for hysterical neurosis, conversion type is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disability, which included pain and instability but no ankylosis or significant functional loss, did not warrant a higher rating. The issues of service connection for shoulder, right knee, and bilateral hip disabilities were also denied as there was insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Board has granted a compensable evaluation of 10% for the veteran's residuals of a fractured pelvis and found service connection for his low back disorder, right shoulder disorder, and right elbow disorder secondary to his service-connected residuals of a pelvis fracture. The other claims were not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not subject to new and material analysis. The application to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability was successful due to submission of new and material evidence, but the preponderance of medical evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has granted an increased rating for the veteran's disability of the left wrist, effective from October 31, 1995. The veteran's other claims have been addressed and are either denied or affirmed.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence showing that the veteran's service-connected disability caused or contributed to his death.,The Board also denied DIC benefits as the veteran did not have a 10 or more year period of total disability rating due to service-connected disabilities prior to his death.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury, an injury to the neck and shoulders, and a right hand injury are not well-grounded.

The VA determined that there is no current evidence of a left shoulder disability and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection.