Shoulder decisions — 2009

The Veteran's GERD with hiatal hernia was incurred in active military service, while his left shoulder bursitis and old healed clavicle fracture were not.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left shoulder strains, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability as it was not attributable to service and osteoarthritis was not manifest in the initial post-service year.

The appeal was remanded to the RO for additional development, including a VA examination and readjudication of the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for myositis, left scapula (claimed as a left shoulder disorder), including as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The claims for increased ratings must be remanded to obtain current treatment records and new VA examinations.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis of PTSD.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right shoulder injury, a neck injury and numbness of the left side of the face as there was no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn for all issues except TDIU, which has been granted effective April 7, 2005.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative changes of the right shoulder AC joint and an earlier effective date for increased compensation for a right knee disability, to include assignment of a temporary total evaluation following total right knee replacement on December 6, 2001.

The Board denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis, left knee impingement syndrome and degenerative joint disease, bilateral shoulder degenerative joint disease, and bilateral hand degenerative joint disease as these conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for sinusitis, right shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disability as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or competent medical evidence linking any current conditions to the Veteran's active duty.

The appeal is remanded for further development of the evidence regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, including consideration of new medical evidence.

The Board remanded the case for additional development to determine if any current arthritis or degenerative joint disease of the shoulders, elbows, hands, knees, or ankles is due to service-connected low back strain.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral osteoarthritis of the shoulders, finding no evidence that it was incurred in or aggravated by service and no evidence linking it to a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder.

The Veteran's left shoulder impingement syndrome (tendinitis) was not related to service, and the lichen planus warranted a 30% rating from May 26, 2004.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbosacral spine, cervical spine (neck), and left shoulder disabilities as there was no competent medical evidence of current disabilities related to service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed right shoulder, low back, right knee, and left knee disabilities as they were not related to active service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability does not meet the criteria for a rating greater than 10 percent, and he is not entitled to special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ. The July 2000 RO decision assigning an effective date of February 1998 for a 100% disability rating for his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder did not contain clear and unmistakable error.