Shoulder decisions — 2008

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current low back disorder to her military service and denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disability is service-connected due to degenerative changes of the lumbosacral spine, which are causally related to active duty service.,The Board has also determined that the veteran's left shoulder impingement is service-connected as it is causally related to active duty service.

The veteran's right knee replacement and right shoulder replacement were granted increased ratings of 30 percent each, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disorder, finding that it is related to the veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a low back, left knee, right knee, or right shoulder disability. The claims for service connection based on secondary to service-connected disabilities are denied as there is no competent evidence linking these disabilities to his service-connected conditions.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination. The issues of service connection for left shoulder tear, cervical radiculopathy, and cervical myositis are being reviewed.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of travel expenses to and from Albuquerque, New Mexico for medical treatment was denied as he did not obtain preauthorization for the travel.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral shoulder disability, manifested by dislocations, is service-connected as it was incurred during his active duty.

The veteran's right shoulder and ankle disabilities have been evaluated based on their current status, with a 30% rating for the right shoulder since September 15, 2003, and a 20% rating for the right ankle since that date. The claims for increased ratings are denied.,The veteran's arthritis of the right shoulder and ankle have not been shown to be related to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Board found that the veteran currently does not have a right shoulder disability and denied service connection for this condition. The left knee condition is still pending as it was granted service connection in a separate decision.

The VA denied the appellant's claims for service connection for fatigue and general malaise, anxiety and memory impairment, bilateral elbow joint pain, and left shoulder joint pain due to undiagnosed illness. The VA found that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 15, 2003 for the grant of a total disability evaluation based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded as the RO has not considered whether extraschedular consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) should be applied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection of a right shoulder disorder, but has found new and material evidence in support of his claim for degenerative joint disease of the lumbosacral spine. The Board is unable to determine if the current back condition is related to military service.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for an impingement syndrome of the right shoulder, with postoperative residuals of an arthroscopy.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further proceedings consistent with a July 2007 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder, chest disorder, and left eye disorder. The decision also noted that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back disability, right shoulder shell fragment wound, PTSD, and hemorrhoids. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence of a current disability for any of the veteran's claimed conditions, and thus service connection cannot be granted.

The Board found that the veteran's left shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities do not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent, as there is no evidence of limitation of motion to 25 degrees from the side or intermediate ankylosis. The compensable evaluation for traumatic arthritis of the right fifth finger was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left knee disorder and degenerative arthritis of multiple joints are not related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.