Shoulder decisions — 2003

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss due to aggravation during active duty. Service connection was not established for the claimed numbness of arms and twitching of right shoulder, as there were no objective indications of a chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness.

The veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, and his left knee disability is rated at 10 percent. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.,The veteran was denied entitlement to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The VA has granted an increased rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected torn rotator cuff of the left shoulder, effective from July 1995. The right shoulder bursitis is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral shoulder disorder and degenerative joint disease of both hips are not related to his military service, including his duties related to his combat service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right wrist fracture and a right shoulder residual scar with a retained foreign body, finding that new and material evidence supports these claims. The disabilities are considered to be related to injuries sustained during active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, rib disability, and head disability. The claims for chronic foot infection, peripheral neuropathy, neck disability, and shoulder disability were reopened based on new evidence, but no service-connected disabilities are currently found.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claims for service connection for right shoulder and elbow disorders. The January 1998 VA examination report concluded that the veteran does not have any pathology in either his right shoulder or right elbow.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder disorder and costochondritis, maintaining that the current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right (major) shoulder, status post dislocation. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bronchitis, concussion, and bilateral knee and leg disabilities will be addressed separately.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right shoulder disability is due to an injury sustained during service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher disability evaluations for his service-connected post traumatic osteoarthritis of the left shoulder with a history of recurrent dislocation. The claim for CUE in the November 1966 rating decision was also denied.

The Board has granted a 70 percent evaluation for the veteran's postoperative right shoulder replacement, effective March 14, 1995. The lumbar spine disability remains at 60 percent.

The Board denied secondary service connection for left knee, right leg, and right shoulder disabilities. The right knee disability was granted a 10 percent rating.

The Board has denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and a right knee disability. The veteran's claim for the right knee disability was previously denied in February 1996, and no new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen this claim.

The veteran's claim for service connection for joint pain secondary to her service-connected cervical diskectomy was denied. The veteran's claims for increased ratings for traumatic arthritis of the left knee and tendinitis of both shoulders were also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder disorder is not related to service or a service-connected condition, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's low back disability is service-connected and his right shoulder disability is not. The RO granted an increased rating for the residuals of a fracture of the right tibia.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder and remanded all issues due to procedural errors. The decision on the merits of these claims will be addressed after proper development.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude substantially gainful employment.

The veteran's service-connected postoperative residuals of a rotator cuff tear of the left shoulder have been rated at 50 percent since June 29, 2002.