Shoulder decisions — 2004

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are sufficiently disabling to preclude securing or following substantially gainful employment, warranting a grant of TDIU. The issue of reimbursement for the cost of private medical treatment is remanded due to insufficient information.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and extent of his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical evidence and a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities alone require aid and attendance.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for depression and hypertension, as well as reopening his claim for a left shoulder disability. The decision also notes that VA medical records from 1976 to 1998 have not been obtained.

The Board denied the veteran's claims regarding his right knee and hypertension, as well as whether new evidence had been submitted to reopen a claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for further development and consideration of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for residuals of a dislocation of the left shoulder.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and spinal injury to C3-6, finding no current disabilities and insufficient evidence of in-service injuries or diagnoses.

The Board has denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, a cardiac disorder, diabetes mellitus, leg scars, arthritis of the neck and shoulders. The evidence does not support a finding that any current disabilities are related to service.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claims for service connection of a right shoulder condition and a right eye scotoma are not addressed in this decision. The claim for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the right knee is granted with a 10% evaluation, but it does not specify whether the issue pertains to the knee itself or another overlapping condition. The claim for service connection of right ulnar neuropathy with involvement at the elbow is also not addressed in this decision.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder and granted service connection for several other disorders, including hearing loss, tinnitus, pneumothorax residuals, abdomen disorder, penis numbness, and skin disorder (chloracne).

The veteran's appeal is remanded for a VA orthopedic examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected right shoulder disability, and for further development as per the VCAA.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions. The VA will provide further assistance in obtaining evidence necessary to substantiate his claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran abandoned his claims due to a lack of response over nearly seven years, and therefore dismissed them.

The veteran's right knee disorder is aggravated by his service-connected right ankle disorder.,There is no evidence of a left wrist disorder in service or related to service. The claim for residuals of the left wrist injury has been denied.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings was denied, with the exception of a grant of service connection and a 10% rating for bilateral degenerative arthritis of the knees. The other conditions were not granted increased ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of his left shoulder disability, finding that the earliest possible effective date is July 26, 2001. The Board also deferred consideration of the issue regarding a low back disorder pending additional development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left knee and shoulder disorders, as well as his request for a specific evaluation of hemorrhoids and mitral valve prolapse. The appeal was not about service connection at all.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen any of the veteran's claims for service connection, resulting in a denial.