Shoulder decisions — 2009

The Veteran's right shoulder and left knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,However, the Veteran's right elbow disability was incurred in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left knee, and left shoulder disorders. The claim for low back disorder was also denied.

The Veteran's disabilities, while disabling, do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance or being housebound.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder and hip disabilities are being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence, including a VA examination.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar disc disease, residuals of a right shoulder injury, and residuals of a right knee injury. However, the preponderance of the evidence is against these claims as there is no current diagnosis or competent medical opinion linking any current disabilities to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical records and conduct an appropriate examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for low back and left shoulder disabilities will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's minimal deformity of the lateral portion of the right shoulder is not productive of motion limited to the shoulder level, even when pain is taken into account; nor is there objective medical evidence of malunion or nonunion without loose movement. Therefore, he is not entitled to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates of service connection for psoriatic arthritis in his shoulders, wrists, and ankles have been denied as there is no evidence showing the disabilities arose prior to the assigned effective dates.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a videoconference hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied his claim for service connection on a direct-incurrence basis.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left shoulder disability does not warrant a higher rating than the current 10 percent assigned, as his range of motion and other symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of service records and need for additional information regarding the claimed stressor. The Veteran's claims will be adjudicated without regard to prior denials.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining physical examination reports from the State Police and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently diagnosed left knee disability.

The Board has determined that additional development of the evidence is required in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, initial disability ratings, and other issues. Specifically, a VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his cervical spine and left shoulder disabilities, as well as any post-service treatment records are needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder and back disabilities are not related to military service, while his migraine headaches may be related. The claim for residuals of a head injury is denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a rating in excess of 20 percent for his left shoulder disability. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.