Shoulder decisions — 2009

The Veteran's left shoulder dislocation is established as service-connected. The claim for residuals of frostbite was reopened, but the Board finds that new and material evidence has not been submitted to substantiate this claim.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a left shoulder disability and a circulatory condition of the arms and hands, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disability. The case is REMANDED for further development including a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is service connected as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability, and grants this claim.

The Board has restored the appellant's previous 30 percent disability rating for his left shoulder disorder, as the evidence does not clearly show sustained improvement.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability that had been rated as totally disabling for at least ten years prior to his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left rotator cuff tear has been reopened and granted. The claims for right shoulder disability and PTSD are still pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and thus no jurisdiction remains to adjudicate the merits of the claims.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining an opinion from a VA examiner regarding the etiology of any current right shoulder disorder.

The Veteran seeks service connection for neck, left shoulder, and left arm disabilities. The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied the claim for DIC benefits as there is no legal basis for the claim or undisputed facts rendering the appellant ineligible.

The Board found that the Veteran's knee and shoulder disabilities were not incurred or aggravated during service, are not secondary to other service-connected disability, and denied both claims.

The Veteran's appeals were denied as new and material evidence was received for some claims, but no effective date adjustments were granted due to the nature of the appeal. The Veteran's conditions continue to be rated based on existing evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple issues, including dermatitis, PTSD, hip and knee disabilities, muscle cramps, shoulder impingement, upper back condition, cervical spine syndrome (neck condition), low back disability, and ankle disability. The appeals are all now denied.

The Veteran's claims for rheumatoid arthritis, right knee disorder, left foot disorder, and left shoulder disorder were denied as there is no medical evidence showing current diagnoses or a link to service.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis of AC joint, chronic AC separation and rotator cuff strain, left shoulder is rated at 20 percent. The claim for an increased rating has been granted.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of bladder cancer and concluded that the Veteran's left shoulder disability was not incurred in service. The claim for bladder cancer is denied, while the claim for service connection for the left shoulder disability remains denied.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability is rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran's left knee disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disability did not begin during his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and is not related to any service-connected conditions. The claim was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and a disability affecting multiple joints, as secondary to his service-connected sarcoidosis. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and de novo consideration of his claims.