Shoulder decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right shoulder disorder is related to his military service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a back injury and tingling in the bilateral shoulders, neck, and right leg as secondary to residuals of a back injury.

The Board found no evidence of chronic back or shoulder disabilities that were incurred in service, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for seizures, ministrokes, loss of memory, shortness of breath, numbness and tingling of the left side of face, shoulder and arm. The claim for a high pulse rate was withdrawn by the appellant.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral strain associated with Schmorl's nodes and right shoulder impingement syndrome are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a chronic cervical spine, lumbar spine, or left shoulder disability present in service and not related to active duty. The Veteran's current disabilities are not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on eight specific conditions have been withdrawn.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and tinea versicolor of the neck were denied as these conditions are not shown to be related to her military service. Her claim for herpes was granted with a non-compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a statement of the case on his low back disability claim and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his psychiatric condition, knee arthritis, hip disability, low back disability, and right shoulder disability. The examiner should also determine if these disabilities are related to service or not.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine, arthritis of each shoulder, arthritis of each arm, and arthritis of each hand as there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, including verification of periods of active military service and VA examinations.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 30 percent prior to February 1, 2009. Following surgery and a convalescent period, the rating was restored on February 1, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic low back, neck, and shoulder disability is of service origin. The claim for right hand and wrist disability remains pending.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain and impingement syndrome, with osteoarthritis, have been productive of flexion to 110 degrees, internal rotation to 90 degrees, external rotation to 45 degrees, abduction to 100 degrees, adduction to 50 degrees. He retains functional use above the shoulder level.

The Veteran's right and left trapezius strains, right hip strain, left hip strain, and a disability characterized by edema of the lower extremities (claimed as right and left thigh pain) are all found to be proximately due to her service-connected migraine headaches. Service connection for additional right and left knee disabilities is denied as they are not related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's cervical spine disability is also denied as it was not incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, multiple joint osteoarthritis, and left shoulder osteoarthritis are not linked to service or any presumptive exposure. The Veteran does not have an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss was denied, and his claim for service connection for basal cell carcinoma of the left shoulder was also denied. The Board found that there is no evidence to support a link between the Veteran's current condition and his active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for traumatic arthritis of the right shoulder, finding that his condition does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent. The Board also found that he is entitled to a separate 10 percent evaluation for service-connected mild non-localizable right ulnar neuropathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased disability ratings. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not found to be related to his military service, atrial fibrillation did not warrant a higher rating, bilateral hearing loss did not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation, degenerative joint disease of the right knee and left knee were rated appropriately, and instability of the left knee warranted a separate 10 percent rating. The Veteran's right shoulder condition was also rated appropriately.