Shoulder decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's current lumbar disc disease and left shoulder disability are not related to his military service or any service-connected condition.,The right ankle fracture residuals have been rated as 10 percent disabling, but there is no evidence of severe functional limitation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right heel spurs, right hip condition, right knee condition, low back condition, and right shoulder condition are all secondary to his service-connected residuals of strain to the medial plantar ligament involving the first metatarsal joint of the right foot. The decision is mixed as some conditions have been granted while others were denied.

The veteran does not have currently diagnosed right or left shoulder disorders that are service-connected, as his symptoms are attributed to the use of a wheelchair due to his service-connected lumbar disc disease.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the extent of the veteran's left shoulder disability and the nature and etiology of his depression.

The Board denied all issues related to service connection and increased evaluation for tendonitis of the right elbow, finding no evidence of a link between any claimed conditions and service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder impingement syndrome, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine were denied. The claim for PTSD was also denied.,Service connection could not be established as there is no evidence of a relationship between in-service injuries and current disabilities.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating of his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the lack of recent VA examination and incomplete medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for arthritis of the knees and shoulders, and service connection for hypertension.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left shoulder disorder, asbestosis due to asbestos exposure, or bilateral wrist and hip disorders incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disorder is not service-connected as it was not incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The veteran's combined service-connected rating is 60 percent, which does not meet the requirement for a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current right shoulder, ankle, back, or vasectomy-related disabilities that are service-connected. The VA examinations did not reveal any chronic conditions related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left shoulder arthritis, finding that the veteran's injuries are related to combat service. The claims for headaches and obstructive pulmonary disease/airway disease/asthma/bronchitis remain pending.

The veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective from the date of his claim to present. The rating for the residuals of a compression fracture at T-6 has been increased to 20 percent, effective June 14, 2004.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. His right shoulder disability, which includes post-operative residuals and recurrent dislocation, remains denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and an increased rating for his right hand fracture. The decision found that new evidence did not establish current left shoulder disability, and that any existing disability was not related to service.

The case is being returned to the RO for additional development of treatment records and a review of the claim.

The Board has decided the case requires further examination and review due to insufficient medical evidence of record.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee, left shoulder and low back disabilities have been granted. The left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent, the left shoulder disability at 20 percent, and the low back disability prior to June 24, 2004 was also rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 22, 1999 for a 20% disability evaluation for his post-operative recurrent right (major) shoulder dislocation residuals and degenerative arthritis. The appeal was based on the theory of direct service connection.