Shoulder decisions — 2009

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to afford him a personal hearing before the Board.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder sprain, back condition, and left knee condition due to new evidence. However, it denied service connection for a right hip condition as not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied service connection for generalized anxiety disorder secondary to service-connected right knee trauma with degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also pending.

The Veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected left shoulder injury with arthritis, but the case has been remanded due to incomplete records and need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at The Findley Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa from August 1-3, 2007. His claim is remanded to provide proper VCAA notice and obtain records regarding his visit to the VA facilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate her claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of a right shoulder injury, fractured left forearm, facial bones fractures, and fractured ribs as secondary to the appellant's service-connected seizure disorder.

The Veteran's service treatment records do not indicate any incident of a left shoulder injury during his active duty. The VA examiner found no evidence to support the claim that the current left shoulder impingement syndrome and arthritis are related to service, as there is no recorded evaluation of the Veteran's 1953 injury in the claims file.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right shoulder and ankle disabilities, as well as service connection for left knee and left ankle disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of current left knee or left ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of varicose veins and a right arm and shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral arm condition) were not addressed. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine was denied, while his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypothyroidism was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service or any exposure to ionizing radiation. As such, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling of VA examinations and obtaining worker's compensation records.

The Veteran's headaches, including migraines, were found to be incurred in active service. The case of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and a bilateral shoulder disorder is pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding service connection for a right shoulder disorder. The Veteran's claim will be returned for an amended medical opinion and further development of her post-service treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral shoulder arthritis, degenerative joint disease/chronic low back pain, bilateral hand arthritis, right little finger disability, and bilateral knee disability have all been denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that these conditions are related to active military service or events therein.,There is no credible evidence showing current disabilities for any of the claimed conditions.

The Veteran is seeking an increased disability rating for his service-connected right shoulder disorder. The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed due to the possibility of worsening symptoms and the Veteran's assertion that the last VA examination was inadequate.

The Veteran's left shoulder disorder, including acromioclavicular joint narrowing, is not considered to be related to his service-connected right shoulder disorder. The Board found no evidence of a direct or presumptive relationship and concluded that the current left shoulder condition was not caused by or aggravated by the service-connected right shoulder disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and consideration of the issues on appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disorder is secondary to his service-connected left knee disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, the Board finds no evidence linking the Veteran's ganglion cysts or bilateral shoulder disorders to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has found that the Veteran's right shoulder tendonitis warrants a disability rating in excess of 20 percent, but remanded for further development due to issues regarding his low back disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's current shoulder conditions are not related to his time in service and denied his claim for service connection.