Shoulder decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder disability warrants a 30 percent rating effective April 15, 2008. The condition is rated based on limitation of motion to midway between the side and shoulder level.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance. The case is also remanded to determine if service connection can be established for a left shoulder disability.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed disabilities, including neck and right shoulder pain, headaches, tingling in the head, right hip pain, generalized right side pain, and numbness of the head, were not incurred during service.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder injury, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The veteran's claims were not supported by sufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The veteran's right shoulder tendonopathy and cervical degenerative disc disease have been granted service connection, with initial evaluations of 10% for the right shoulder and 30% for the cervical spine. The thoracolumbar degenerative changes are rated at 10%.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder impingement syndrome, finding that the veteran's symptoms are at least in equipoise with the need to grant this claim. Service connection for residuals of a cervical spine injury was denied.

The Board has ordered the case back to the RO for additional development due to incomplete records and inadequate examinations.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's left shoulder disability due to lack of evidence showing limitation of motion to 25 degrees from side, despite functional loss. The veteran failed to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for his right shoulder disorder, finding no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that his fatal motor vehicle accident was not related to his active duty service or any of his service-connected disabilities.

The veteran's right hallux valgus with associated bunion was not found to warrant a compensable evaluation.,Right shoulder tendinitis did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under DC 5201 due to full range of motion and no loss of mobility on testing.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a video conference hearing due to his inability to attend the scheduled Travel Board hearing.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left shoulder injury due to lack of current disability evidence.

The Board granted service connection and assigned initial ratings for the veteran's disabilities, including chronic lumbosacral spine strain with early degenerative disc disease, cervical spine disability (status post anterior fusion C4 through C6), residual right upper radiculopathy, and chronic left knee strain. The veteran was not granted an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for any condition.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, but finds that there is no current diagnosis of PTSD. The claims for major bipolar disorder, right knee strain, right ankle strain, left shoulder strain, arthritis of the cervical spine, and peripheral neuropathy are all denied as not related to service.

The May 1971 rating decision denied service connection for a skin condition of the feet, a lymph node infection, and a right shoulder disorder. The evidence at that time did not support these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine condition with radiculopathy, finding that the veteran's service-connected bilateral claw foot contributed to his current disability.

The veteran's right shoulder disability, which is rated at 20 percent under the Diagnostic Code for dislocation of the clavicle or scapula (formerly DC 7805), has been granted. The current rating reflects the maximum available under this diagnostic code.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and bilateral knee disability, but finds that additional VA medical opinions are needed to address whether these conditions were aggravated by service.