Shoulder decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected post-operative recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder with degenerative joint disease, currently evaluated at 20 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for left hand and bilateral shoulder disabilities, finding no evidence of such conditions in service or within one year post-service. The VA examiner did not find a relationship between these conditions and any service-connected right knee disorder.

The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder disability in service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disorder and increased ratings for his right arm and shoulder injury, as well as his right wrist sprain. The veteran was granted a 20 percent rating for residuals of an injury to the right arm and shoulder.

The Board has granted the reopening of claims for service connection for residuals of fractures of the left ankle, right foot, right ankle, right shoulder, and pelvis, and a skin condition.,However, the effective date for service connection for a left knee disability remains May 31, 1996.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his service-connected recurrent dislocation of the right and left shoulders, finding that the evidence does not support ratings in excess of 20 percent.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Raynaud's disease and rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine, right shoulder, and left shoulder, are found to be severe enough to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied increased evaluations for the veteran's service-connected disabilities of the right shoulder, left wrist, right ankle, and both knees. The RO also granted a noncompensable evaluation for his bilateral foot disorder.

The veteran's hepatitis C is most likely the result of a December 1977 surgery at a VA hospital, warranting compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for hepatitis C. The veteran's left shoulder injury has been rated as 30 percent disabling due to its severity and limitations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a visual disorder, finding no competent medical evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The veteran's right shoulder disability did not result in severe post-operative residuals or immobilization of the right shoulder beyond May 31, 1988. Therefore, his claim for an extension of a temporary total rating was denied.

The veteran's initial claim for an evaluation of left testicle torsion was granted, but he is denied service connection for other claimed conditions. The Board found no medical evidence linking the in-service complaints and injuries to current disabilities.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, status post ligament damage in the left shoulder, and benign prostatic hypertrophy, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The veteran's claimed conditions, including peripheral neuropathy, circulatory problems, arthritis (in the hands, arms, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles), and a fungal infection of the feet, were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board granted an evaluation of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, finding that the evidence was in equipoise as to the presence of nonduplicative symptomatology involving pain and limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to increased ratings for service-connected disabilities and a claim for TDIU. The veteran's service-connected conditions include arthritis of the lumbar spine, hips, shoulders, ulcerative colitis, bilateral hearing loss, and an umbilical hernia.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the schedular criteria for a combined rating of 30 percent, with separate ratings for each disability. The issues of entitlement to extra-schedular ratings have been addressed and are pending.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of an avulsion fracture of the right hip and tendonitis of the right shoulder do not warrant initial compensable evaluations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed shoulder and knee disorders, finding no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability in the right shoulder, upper back, or bilateral shins that was incurred during active service. The claimant's symptoms were attributed to her military training and did not meet the criteria for service connection.