Shoulder decisions — 2006

The Board found no evidence of a low back or bilateral shoulder condition during service, and the current conditions are not related to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for her right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that they did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent from April 12, 1995 to May 16, 2005. For the period commencing May 17, 2005, a 20 percent rating was granted for her right shoulder disability.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and review of his medical records, including those from active duty.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claims for service connection for left wrist, left arm (to include tennis elbow), back, sub-deltoid bursitis of the left shoulder, and right ankle disabilities. The veteran does not have a current disability as claimed.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current diagnoses to his military service and denied all three claims for service connection.

The veteran seeks service connection for bilateral shoulder impingement disorder and rotator cuff repair, which he claims are related to a combat incident in Vietnam. The RO has remanded the case for further development including obtaining medical records and providing an opinion on the etiology of the veteran's conditions.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against a disability rating greater than 40 percent for the veteran's left shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further examination and readjudication due to inadequacies in the previous decision regarding service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date were denied. The Board found no evidence of any service connection or increase in disability related to the claimed conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's current shoulder and neck conditions are not related to his service, including any in-service accidents. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disability, which includes pain and limitation of motion but not to a degree warranting a higher rating, does not meet the criteria for an increased disability rating.

The Board has granted an extension of the temporary total rating based on the need for convalescence due to the veteran's right knee surgery, which necessitated a period beyond October 31, 1997.

The Board denied the claims for evaluations of laceration of the right radial sensory nerve and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, as well as service connection for bilateral hip pain, spasms in the lower extremities and gluteus, a right shoulder disorder, and a left wrist disorder. The appeals were based on direct evidence rather than presumptions or new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a right elbow fracture and left shoulder tendonitis, finding that the veteran's current conditions were not incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's left shoulder disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating, and denied his claim for an increased rating. The total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability was also denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability. The claim is granted.

The Board finds no evidence of a current right shoulder or arm disability, and the veteran's service-connected residuals from his mastectomy do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the RO's decision denying the veteran's application to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, a shoulder disability, diplopia, and a stomach condition was not in accordance with the correct new and material evidence standard. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the service-connected left shoulder disability, effective from November 2, 2000. The claim for an increased rating for hypertension remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and a contusion of the coccyx, finding no current diagnosis or evidence of chronic disability related to military service.