Shoulder decisions — 2005

The veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, and initial evaluations for left shoulder injury and right shoulder tendonitis are denied. The veteran is currently assigned a 10 percent evaluation for chronic tendonitis of the right shoulder effective from January 7, 2005.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder and denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a stab wound to the left armpit.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder and right shoulder disorders, as well as his loss of tip, left index finger, are not service-connected. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the current nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed left shoulder and bilateral knee conditions, including through VA orthopedic examination with appropriate diagnostic testing.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder strain and right index finger scar residual. The veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for the scar was also denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and reopening of a previously denied claim were denied. His left shoulder disability was rated at 10 percent, his right knee disorder at 10 percent, and the neck disability claim was not reopened.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, warts on both feet, a second-degree separation of the acromioclavicular joint of the right shoulder, bilateral hearing loss, and a fracture of the left big toe with a soft tissue injury of the left foot were denied as there is no competent evidence linking any current disability to his military service.

The veteran's service connection claim for chronic left biceps tendon rupture residuals was granted. The claims for the other conditions were remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disability, including chronic lumbar strain and lumbar disc protrusion, was incurred in service.,The Board also found that the scars of the left shoulder were incurred in service.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a right shoulder injury or disability during service, and the current diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the right shoulder first appeared decades after discharge. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's right shoulder disability, manifested by pain and limited motion but without severe impairment of function, warranted a 30 percent evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for macular degeneration of the right eye, bilateral knee condition, and residuals of basal cell carcinoma. The issues were not about service connection at all.

The veteran's total combined rating of 80 percent for service-connected and nonservice-connected disabilities, including his partial amputations and shoulder conditions, meets the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of reopening his service connection for chronic right shoulder dislocation, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were granted, with the TDIU effective from May 18, 2004. The rating for residuals of a gunshot wound to the right shoulder and arm was maintained at 20 percent, while the rating for dysesthesia of the right arm and forearm was increased to 20 percent as of February 5, 2003.

The Board denied a higher initial evaluation for the veteran's left shoulder disability from August 8, 1997 to November 21, 2000, finding that the evidence did not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's left shoulder disability, currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that his symptoms did not warrant such an increase.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining information about stressors and verifying diagnoses of PTSD.