Shoulder decisions — 2003

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the back and degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder, but further development is needed before a final decision can be made.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a frozen right shoulder and traumatic arthritis of the left knee, do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any left shoulder disorder found in the veteran's service records, including whether it existed prior to his period of active duty or was caused by any incident during such service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently suffer from bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for tendonitis of the arms and shoulders due to new evidence submitted since the final denial in March 1997.

The Board has determined that the case should be remanded for further development due to unclear causation of the veteran's left shoulder disability and inadequate VCAA notification.

The Board has granted a TDIU rating, finding that the veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable. The issue of an increased rating for lumbar stenosis with bulging disc is remanded due to additional evidence received since the June 2002 Statement of the Case.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected osteoarthritis of the right shoulder is being remanded due to incomplete evaluation and need for additional medical examination.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left shoulder disorder and denied service connection for his skin disability due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of in-service stressors and examination to determine current disabilities.

The Board found that the reduction in evaluation from 30 percent to 20 percent for recurrent left shoulder dislocation with traumatic arthritis was appropriate due to material improvement in the veteran's condition.

The veteran's claims for a compensable rating for his scar residuals, right shoulder; reopening of previously denied service connection claims for right knee injury and bilateral hearing loss are being considered. The Board finds new and material evidence has been submitted in support of the reopened claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability, finding that no claim was filed prior to April 27, 2000.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional evidence and clarification. The case is now being sent back to the RO for specific actions, including obtaining medical records from VA facilities and arranging an orthopedic examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The claims will be re-adjudicated based on whether new and material evidence has been obtained to reopen the psychiatric disorder claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are not properly adjudicated and requires additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral shoulder disability. The veteran's current condition is believed to be related to his military service, specifically his boxing activities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to VCAA notification issues and potential need for an ophthalmologist's opinion regarding the left eye disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnoses of traumatic arthritis of the right shoulder and elbow are linked to an in-service injury, which is presumed to have occurred during his period of active duty. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.