Shoulder decisions — 2008

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for various disabilities are being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and right shoulder disability, finding no evidence that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during the veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected chronic lumbosacral strain.

The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for a left shoulder disorder, as there was no medical evidence of a nexus between the inservice injury and the current disability.

The Board denied service connection for a heart condition, coronary artery disease; left shoulder disorder; and right shoulder disorder. The claims were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or that they are related to the veteran's service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left heel pain, residuals of a right great toe injury, and left shoulder and elbow disabilities. The veteran was also denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral knees.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support higher disability ratings or additional service-connected conditions.

The veteran's right shoulder disability does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder condition, left and right knee conditions, and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded for further development.

The claims to reopen are remanded for further development and adjudication.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and for post-traumatic arthritis as secondary to gunshot wound residuals, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a left knee injury, a dental disorder, and various other conditions, as well as denied new and material evidence to reopen claims for several previously denied conditions. The veteran was granted a 10% rating for an eyebrow scar but not for scars on the biceps or shoulder.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of left shoulder dislocation were rated at 20 percent prior to August 1, 1996, and 30 percent from that date. An extra-schedular rating was granted as of February 1, 2001, due to an unusual disability picture.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for left shoulder, right knee, left elbow, lumbar spine, and right lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities were denied.

The veteran's service-connected tendon and nerve injury, right elbow, with median nerve and radial nerve compromise, postoperative, is rated at 70 percent; the other two conditions remain rated as previously.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar disability and a left shoulder disability, but ultimately denied both on the merits.

The veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent prior to May 17, 2004, and increased to 30 percent effective that date.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, left ankle disability, and bilateral foot disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected lumbar intervertebral syndrome. The claims for a bilateral elbow disability, bilateral hand disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and right ankle disability were denied.

The claim for service connection for arthritis secondary to service-connected meningitis with thoracic outlet syndrome is reopened, but the issues of entitlement to service connection for other claimed disabilities remain pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of shrapnel wounds to his left leg and left shoulder, PTSD, hypertension, and a heart condition due to lack of credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for traumatic arthritis of the right hand and right shoulder, finding no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service, nor any evidence linking them to the veteran's service-connected shell fragment wounds.