Shoulder decisions — 2003

The Board granted service connection for residuals of a left shoulder injury with degenerative changes and assigned a 30 percent disability rating effective May 18, 2001. The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete information and need for additional medical examination.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including post-operative residuals of a right hip tumor (lipoma), rash of the crotch, face and shoulder, chloracne, arthritis of the fingers, right shoulder, right knee and back, arthritis of other joints, residuals of a shrapnel wound to the left ankle, and spondylitis were denied as these conditions are not presumed due to herbicide exposure or service connection is established on a direct basis.

The Board found that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's current knee, shoulder, or back conditions to his active service.,For the acquired psychiatric disorder claim, the VA examiner stated that it was not related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis in both shoulders and hips is related to his military service, specifically cold exposure during the Korean War. The claim for service connection is granted.

The case is being remanded for further development and readjudication of the veteran's claims for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for a right shoulder disability and entitlement to temporary total disability ratings based on surgeries performed in April 1995 and April 1997.

The Board has remanded the case due to new claims being inextricably intertwined with the total disability rating claim. Additional evidence is needed, including service medical records and information about disciplinary actions during active service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for the service-connected residuals of a gunshot wound to the right shoulder as the veteran withdrew his appeal in January 1998. The issues of entitlement to initial disability ratings for PTSD and total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are currently before the Board.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including a VA examination to clarify muscle group involvement and severity of the veteran's left shoulder disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, muscle and joint pain, sleep disturbance, memory loss, chest pain, diarrhea, nose bleeds, skin disability, residuals of a right shoulder injury, kidney stones, and gastroenteritis as manifestations of an undiagnosed illness have all been denied. The claim for service connection for these conditions is considered to be denied.

The Board has determined that additional efforts are needed to obtain the veteran's complete service medical records and other relevant VA records. The case will be returned for further review.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder impingement syndrome is a result of his military service and grants service connection for this condition. The issues of bilateral hearing loss, arthritis of the hands, and arthritis of the knees will be addressed in a separate remand.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD and residuals of a left shoulder fracture was dismissed as untimely.

The veteran is entitled to service connection for a condition manifested by tremor of the right shoulder, as his current disability can be linked to military service due to aggravation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's timely substantive appeal was filed with respect to his August 1998 RO rating decision, which denied service connection for a right shoulder condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case is now being returned to the RO for further development of the issues.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder, also claimed as myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia, was denied by the RO.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his postoperative left shoulder dislocation, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating greater than 10 percent from March 13, 1996 to March 5, 1997 and found no evidence of entitlement to a higher rating since October 1, 1997.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional evidence and clarification. The case is now being remanded back to the RO for a VA medical examination and consideration of the new evidence.