Shoulder decisions — 2005

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder and arm disorder, to include degenerative arthritis, is not related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for residuals of injury to the head, neck and shoulders. The claim remains denied.

The veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including granuloma annulare, degenerative joint disease and impingement syndrome of the shoulders, causalgia and type I complex regional pain syndrome of the left knee and heel, as well as joint pain of the right ankle, right knee, and hips were denied. The claims were reopened on new evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The veteran's left shoulder disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, effective June 3, 2005. The left hand disorder remains at a 10 percent rating since October 5, 1994.,The veteran's malaria has not been assigned any compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder disorder is not service-connected, but his right knee disorder is aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) will be addressed by the RO.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for costochondritis of the left chest, a left shoulder disability, and hemorrhoids. The veteran developed these conditions as a result of military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bursitis/degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, dental disability, PTSD, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, coronary artery disease, and lumbar degenerative disc disease, were denied. The conditions are not considered to be related to military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a schedular evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected fibromyositis of the shoulders and back, as the current evaluations are already at their maximum allowable under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The case is being remanded for further evidentiary development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling a podiatry examination.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence showing that the veteran currently suffers from left shoulder bursitis related to service.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current eye disorder, right shoulder disorder, or left shoulder disorder that is related to his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease resulting in these conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for higher ratings for depression and cervical spine arthritis, as well as her service connection claims for a right shoulder disorder, scoliosis with left leg length discrepancy, and fibrocystic breast disease.

The Board denied the veteran's service connection claims for left shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a current disability related to his period of service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for left shoulder dislocation and hernia residuals were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back condition. By extending the benefit of doubt, the veteran's disability manifested by degenerative changes in the low back is due to injury sustained during his period of military service. The veteran does not have a shoulder disorder due to any incident or event during his period of military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed shoulder, finger, knee, leg, and hip conditions are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct connection between his in-service exposure to cold weather and current disabilities.

Your appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Board hearing. The issues of service connection for various conditions are still under review.