Shoulder decisions — 2001

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder pain and an initial compensable rating for right carpal tunnel syndrome, finding no current disability or evidence of recurrence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete evidence and procedural issues, including a need for further development of the evidentiary record.

The Board has reviewed the evidence and found no competent medical evidence showing arthritis in the appellant's left shoulder, right hip, or knees. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The case is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing and handling of the increased rating issue, including determining an appropriate effective date.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability in December 1988. The new evidence submitted since then is not considered material and does not change the outcome of the case.

The RO denied the veteran's increased rating claim for his right shoulder injury and TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities. The RO found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation or entitlement to TDIU.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficient to render him unemployable without regard to his age and any non-service-connected disorders.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise, and therefore grants service connection for chronic epicondylitis of the elbows and residuals of a left shoulder injury.

The Board has granted increased evaluations for the veteran's right knee disorder and gastroenteritis, but denied his claims for an increased evaluation for his right shoulder disorder and a compensable evaluation for his left knee disorder. The claim to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss is also denied.

The Board has determined that there is no legal basis to assign an effective date earlier than April 17, 1996 for the award of service connection for arthritis involving multiple joints. The appeal is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to new and changed laws requiring additional development and notification.

The VA has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability, including arthritis and disc disease, is currently manifested by moderate intervertebral disc syndrome with radiation to the left shoulder. The disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant increased ratings for his shell fragment wounds to the left shoulder and right thigh.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left shoulder disorder, including arthritis, as aggravated by his service. The other issues on appeal will be addressed in a separate remand.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The arthritis claim was considered both on a primary basis and as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of right-sided C5-C6 stenosis and an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for a duodenal ulcer, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus.

The veteran's request for Service Disabled Veterans Insurance (RH) is inextricably intertwined with his claims for service connection for various disabilities. The appeal of eligibility for RH is held in abeyance pending resolution of the service connection claims.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a left shoulder disability, fatigue, memory loss, shortness of breath, dizziness, and a skin disorder. The appeal is based on presumptive service connection due to exposure in the Gulf War.

The RO denied an increased disability rating for the veteran's service-connected right shoulder disorder, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection of a right shoulder disorder secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability. Further development is needed to determine if there is a causal relationship between the veteran's service-connected condition and his current right shoulder disorder.