Shoulder decisions — 2005

The Board has ordered additional VA examinations and requested the RO to obtain SSA records for a comprehensive evaluation of the appellant's disabilities, with consideration of their impact on his employability.

The Board denied all of the veteran's claims, including his request for increased ratings and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a heart attack.

The veteran's right shoulder disability has been rated at 30 percent prior to September 13, 2003. For the period from December 1, 2003, a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for left shoulder and eye disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of proximate causation due to VA care.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected conditions were denied. The RO granted service connection and assigned initial ratings, but the veteran disagreed with these determinations.

The Board found that the veteran's back and right shoulder conditions are not related to his military service, with the weight of evidence supporting this conclusion.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability and concluded that the veteran's claimed head, neck, and shoulder injuries are not related to his military service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for degenerative joint disease of the hips, shoulders, and neck, as well as rheumatoid arthritis of the spine. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for right shoulder and bilateral knee disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of such conditions during or immediately following service, and concluding that any current conditions are not related to service.

The veteran's service-connected cervical spine strain, right shoulder disability with acromioclavicular joint impingement and rotator cuff injury, lumbar spondylosis with degenerative disc disease, right ankle instability, and left orchiectomy secondary to neoplasm are all granted. The highest possible rating of 10 percent is assigned for each condition.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and shoulder disabilities, as well as a back disability and hand condition are being remanded due to incomplete service medical records.

The Board granted increased initial disability evaluations for DJD of the right and left shoulders, with a 40 percent rating assigned to the right shoulder effective February 14, 2004, and a 20 percent rating assigned to the left shoulder effective April 23, 2002.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left thumb disability, left knee arthritis, and right shoulder arthritis as no new and material evidence was received to reopen these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased disability rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability is being considered, as well as whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder with neuropathy of the arms.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear, arthritis of multiple joints (to include knees and pelvis), and a left shoulder disability (claimed as arthritis).

The Board found that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder was not related to his military service and denied service connection for this condition. The issue of an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic bronchitis is addressed separately.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address the Deluca provisions and provide a comprehensive VA examination of his shoulders.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed lumbar spine, bilateral shoulder, elbow, and hand disabilities are not service-connected as they are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for left shoulder disability effective August 8, 2001. The previous ratings were reduced and then restored to 10 percent.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, for a bilateral foot disability, and for temporomandibular joint syndrome as these benefits have now been granted by the RO.