Shoulder decisions — 2008

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no competent evidence linking his right shoulder impingement syndrome to his service-connected knee disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for compensable ratings for his left shoulder injury and right foot stress fractures, finding that the evidence did not warrant increased evaluations under applicable diagnostic codes.

Service connection has been granted for fibrocystic disease of the breasts and residuals of bilateral shin splints. The other conditions are pending.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service treatment records and to determine if there are any line of duty determinations or active duty for training/inactive duty for training records from his reserve service.

The veteran's service-connected conditions, including migraine headaches, sleep apnea, and knee/shoulder disabilities, render him unemployable. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected PTSD, finding that his symptoms meet the criteria for such a rating. The right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent as well.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left shoulder dislocation, status post surgical intervention with resulting limitation of motion, warrants a 20% evaluation effective June 11, 2007. Prior to this date, the disability was rated at 10%. The evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder disorder is service-connected and grants a finding of service connection. For his right knee disability, the Board finds that the current rating of 10% adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The veteran's PTSD is rated at 30 percent, effective April 21, 2003. Service connection for right shoulder disorder, bilateral knee disability, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss are all granted on a secondary basis to his service-connected PTSD.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including the provision of VA examinations and consideration of her service-connected disabilities in determining whether she is unemployable due to those conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of timely filed substantive appeals.

The Board has determined that the veteran's DJD of the knees and legs, right hand, back, and right shoulder were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The cold injury of both feet was also denied as it is not related to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder, migraines, depression, and a left shoulder disorder due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and insufficient VCAA notice. The RO is instructed to obtain missing service treatment records, provide proper VCAA notice, schedule a VA examination for bilateral knee disability, and determine whether PTSD is related to in-service stressors.

The veteran's left shoulder disorder is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, reflecting limitation of motion and painful motion. His migraine headaches are currently rated as 10 percent disabling, based on characteristic prostrating attacks occurring up to four times per month.,Both conditions meet the criteria for a 10 percent rating under their respective diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arthritis of the left shoulder, which required a total joint replacement, is related to his service due to frequent use of small arm weapons during active duty. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The veteran does not have a current disability of the wrists, hips, right ankle, shoulders, left knee, or elbows that is related to his military service. He has tinnitus but there is no competent medical evidence linking it to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations for various conditions, finding no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to active service.

The Board has granted a temporary total evaluation beyond January 31, 2002 for treatment of service-connected impingement syndrome of the right shoulder requiring convalescence.

The veteran's DJD of both knees, right knee, and left knee were all rated at 10 percent prior to August 23, 2004. Since then, the right knee was rated at 10 percent for extension limited to 10 degrees, but not more than 15 degrees or flexion limited to 45 degrees. The left knee was also rated at 10 percent for similar reasons. The lumbar spine syndesmophyte with anterolateral bony osteophytosis at L2, L3, L4, and L5 did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to September 26, 2003. Since then, the cervical spine strain with paramedial herniated nucleus pulposus and impingement was rated as noncompensable due to forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees. The post-operative residuals of the right shoulder (major) were also rated at a noncompensable level. Finally, the veteran's bronchitis was rated at a noncompensable level prior to February 21, 2008, and since then, it has been rated as noncompensable.