Shoulder decisions — 2006

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for his left knee, right ankle, and right knee conditions. The issues were secondary to his service-connected torn medial meniscus of the left knee with torn anterior cruciate ligament and chondromalacia.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for uterine bleeding and service connection for various disabilities, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims under current VA regulations.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and information regarding his claims, particularly those involving service connection.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's case is being remanded for additional medical examination and to obtain Social Security Administration records. The RO will then readjudicate the claims, including determining if the veteran is entitled to SMC at the 'm' rate based on loss of use of the hands or the 'n' rate based on loss of use of the arms.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient clarity in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the etiology of the veteran's right shoulder disorder. The claim will be returned for further development and consideration.

The veteran's claimed disabilities, including low back pain, knee pain, shoulder tendonitis, elbow epicondylitis, insomnia and lack of energy, memory loss, persistent cough, headaches, and nasal passage build-up, are not service-connected. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or the Persian Gulf War.

The veteran's left shoulder condition is rated at 10 percent, and his schizophrenia was rated at 30 percent between January 11, 1999, and December 1, 2003. The veteran's schizophrenia has been rated as 50 percent since December 2, 2003.,The veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with the left shoulder condition receiving a 10 percent rating and schizophrenia receiving a 50 percent rating from December 2, 2003 onwards. The veteran also received TDIU benefits between January 11, 1999, and December 1, 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right shoulder disability is denied. The maximum schedular rating of 40 percent is currently assigned, and there is no evidence to support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other functional impairment.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and conducting VA examinations to assess her bilateral knee disabilities and the relationship between her neck/shoulder condition and a left shoulder injury.

The Board found that the veteran's left shoulder scar is clean and well-healed, does not cause loss of function or undue sensitivity, and measures no more than 12 inches by 0.25 inches. Therefore, it did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The veteran effectively withdrew his appeal for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder adhesive capsulitis.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic left shoulder disability and remanded his claim for an increased rating for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for muscle and joint aches, right knee tendonitis, and right shoulder strain due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a back injury, right shoulder disability, residuals of a head injury (including blurred vision and an arachnoid cyst), and hip disability. The case is now remanded for further VA examinations.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are so severe that he is unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability based on new evidence received after the May 1992 rating decision, and the effective date is set at December 13, 1991.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current right shoulder disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current left shoulder disorder and denied his claim for service connection. The initial rating for residuals of a left wrist fracture was also denied.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back injury and right shoulder arthritis, as well as a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The RO found that the conditions did not warrant higher ratings under the applicable criteria.