Shoulder decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service and have denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's spine and left shoulder disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The VA has determined that the veteran's osteoarthritis of the neck with right shoulder pain does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for more severe disability.

The Board finds that the service-connected arthritis of the hips and lumbar spine caused or contributed to the veteran's death due to a fall at home, which was the immediate cause of his death.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal before a decision was made.

The veteran's right shoulder disability is service-connected as arthritis of the acromion process, which is proximately due to his service-connected left ankle disorder. The right wrist disorder and hemorrhoids are not service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disorder is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected amputation of right forearm below insertion of pronator teres, and thus granted service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability but denied the claim for an increased evaluation for pes planus due to the veteran's failure to report for VA examinations scheduled in conjunction with his claims.

The Board found that the veteran does not have arthritis affecting his left leg, elbow, shoulder, wrist or back which is proximately due to or the result of service-connected disability.

The veteran's bilateral defective hearing was incurred in service and granted. The Board determined that the current neck and shoulder conditions were not incurred in service.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have a current psychiatric disorder, left knee disorder, or right shoulder instability. The preponderance of evidence is against finding these conditions.

The veteran's residuals of gastric ulcer surgery are related to his service-connected osteoarthritis of the left knee, and thus service connection is granted. The claims for hepatitis C, a left shoulder disorder, and reopening of lumbosacral spine disc disease claim are remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to service connection for postoperative residuals of a left shoulder injury including left axillary artery aneurysm with thrombectomy and left forearm fasciotomy, which are all related to the in-service left shoulder injury.

The Board found that the November 1997 rating decision denying service connection for a left shoulder disability was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding no evidence of an in-service injury and noting that there is no current disability related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently suffer from a left shoulder disorder, and therefore his claim for service connection for chronic left shoulder strain is denied.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest possible level (100%), and he has other service-connected disabilities that render him unable to work. His hearing loss, hand injuries, shoulder injuries, ankle injury, wrist injury, and leg injury are all rated as they should be based on their severity.

The Board found that the veteran's current right shoulder condition was not incurred in or aggravated during his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's right shoulder disorder and lung disorder were not service-connected, with no causal relationship established between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current right shoulder and neck disorders did not originate in service, nor could they be presumed to have been incurred due to military service. The VA examiner concluded that any injuries sustained during service were acute and resolved without leaving chronic disabilities.