Shoulder decisions — 2003

The veteran's injuries resulting from a motor vehicle accident are not compensable under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's service-connected right knee disability is rated at 10 percent. The Board denied a higher rating for this condition. Service connection was granted for the left shoulder disorder, but not for the right hip disorder.

The Board found that the initial evaluations for the veteran's right ankle and bilateral knee/shoulder conditions were proper, with no evidence of marked limitation or ankylosis. The veteran was granted separate 10 percent ratings for these conditions effective December 2, 1995.

The Board finds that the appellant does not have residuals of fractured left ribs or a left shoulder injury due to military service. The evidence does not support his claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder, neck, low back, and leg problems as secondary to his service-connected partial amputation of the distal middle finger. The VA examiner found no evidence that these conditions were related to the service-connected disability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right ear disorder due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. The claims for a bilateral shoulder disability, back disorder, left knee disability, residuals of Agent Orange exposure, and dental condition are all pending.

The Board found that the veteran's left shoulder disability did not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent, as it did not meet the criteria for more severe ratings.

The veteran's service-connected right leg amputation and left shoulder condition do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation due to loss of use of one upper extremity (left) and one lower extremity (right).

The veteran's claim for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and/or adaptive equipment for an automobile is denied as he does not meet the criteria set forth by VA regulations.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of cold injury, hypertension, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's claims were not supported by evidence showing the conditions were related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, including exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of the claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including blurred vision and arthritis of multiple joints, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not show a link between any current disabilities and active duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder disability is service-connected, as it was incurred during his active military service.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the service-connected residuals of a dislocated right shoulder, effective September 14, 2000. The initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee prior to September 14, 2000 is denied. An increased rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right knee subsequent to September 14, 2000 is also denied. The claim for an increased rating for postoperative residuals of a neuroma of the right foot with arthralgia of the second, third, and fourth metatarsophalangeal joints remains pending.

The Board found that the veteran's right shoulder disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims of service connection for lumbosacral strain with scoliosis, left shoulder disorder, and chronic sinus disorder based on new evidence submitted since the August 1994 decision.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issues of determination of initial rating assignments for service-connected headaches, dementia, residuals of right shoulder injury, scars (frontal scalp, left cheek, right medial eyebrow, and below the right chin), and residuals of a right ankle injury.

The RO granted service connection for pes planus, herniated nucleus pulposus at the L2 level with chronic low back pain, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and impingement syndrome of the right shoulder. The veteran's claims for increased ratings for hemorrhoids, pes planus, and herniated nucleus pulposus were granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any diagnosed conditions related to his military service, and thus cannot establish service connection for the claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for his service-connected left shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence of loss of the humeral head to warrant such a rating.