Shoulder decisions — 2004

The veteran is entitled to additional special monthly compensation for aid and attendance due to his need for regular assistance from another person, as a result of both his lower extremities disability and right shoulder DJD.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for extension of a temporary total disability evaluation based on surgery performed in July 1998, finding that he did not require post-hospital convalescence beyond October 31, 1998.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder disability was denied in the June 1999 RO decision. The case is being remanded to allow for de novo review and consideration of all evidence.

The Board has determined that there is a need for further VA assistance in obtaining additional service medical records and conducting examinations to determine the current existence and etiology of claimed conditions, as well as the severity of the veteran's low back disorder. The claims will be remanded for these actions.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's stomach condition. The issue of service connection for a left shoulder injury is pending and will be remanded to the RO.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have not worsened to the extent that they preclude him from performing his occupation as a cook, and the occupation is not unsuitable on the basis of his specific employment handicap.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to issues raised by the veteran's claim of unemployability, VCAA compliance, and need for additional medical evidence.

The Board found that the veteran's current right shoulder disability was not caused by his service-connected gunshot wound of the left scapula and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable evaluation for his right shoulder disability due to lack of evidence linking current conditions to service.

The Board has denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's right wrist disability and has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen her claims of service connection for cervical spine narrowing, osteophytic impingement, and right shoulder disability. The veteran's right wrist disability is currently rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5215 due to mild limitation of motion with pain. The Board found that the veteran's cervical spine narrowing and osteophytic impingement and right shoulder disability may be associated with her period of active service, but did not reach a decision on whether they were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that a higher evaluation of 20 percent is warranted for the veteran's service-connected left shoulder acromioclavicular joint separation. The issue of entitlement to service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine is being remanded due to incomplete information and need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disability is service-connected, with no specific rating assigned and no effective date provided.

The Board found no evidence of a current left shoulder disorder and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's multiple chronic conditions, including coronary artery disease and generalized anxiety disorder, prevent him from dressing, attending to his wants of nature, and protecting himself from daily hazards. He is not blind or helpless, nor does he require the regular aid and attendance of another person due to being housebound.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining pertinent medical records and conducting a VA examination to assess the veteran's employability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, including a scar of the left chest and residuals from shrapnel wounds to his shoulders. The major depressive disorder is also considered service-connected.

The February 1970 rating decisions denying the veteran's CUE claims for noncompensable ratings for his right shoulder scar and left mandible fracture are upheld as there was no clear and unmistakable error in those determinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right shoulder disorder, diagnosed as bursitis, began during his active service and is therefore granted service connection.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder disability from March 11, 1997 through December 3, 1998 was denied. The extension of the temporary total rating beyond January 31, 1999 was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder and left shoulder impingement syndrome, finding that the veteran's conditions were aggravated during military service. The claim of entitlement to service connection for dysfunction of the shoulders is now resolved.