Shoulder decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claims for service connection are denied as there is no evidence of a chronic disability due to undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained multi-symptom illnesses, and the preponderance of the evidence shows that his conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current left shoulder disability and bilateral mastectomies, subcutaneous (claimed as surgery on chest) are not related to his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder osteoarthritis is rated at 30 percent since July 1, 1996. The left shoulder osteoarthritis is rated at 20 percent since the same date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder and skin disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service event/injury/disease associated with those disabilities.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the Veteran's left shoulder disability, which is rated under Diagnostic Code 5202. The evaluation takes into account recurrent subluxation and pain with movement.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to her inability to use both lower extremities, blindness in both eyes, or loss of use of both upper extremities.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder calcified tendinitis is rated at 20 percent disabling, effective February 15, 2007. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left posterolateral disc protrusion at L5-S1 remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a right ankle disorder, right shoulder disability, sinusitis, or chronic disabilities involving joint pain of his wrists, elbows, knees and ankles due to disease or injury incurred in service. However, it is just as likely as not that the Veteran's allergic rhinitis is related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder or right hip disability related to the Veteran's service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the claims related to his low back and left shoulder injuries, as well as the claim of service connection for a left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings for his right shoulder disability was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The issues were whether he is entitled to a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to September 22, 2006 and in excess of 40 percent from that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is not related to his active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a right shoulder disorder that is related to his service. The evidence of record does not support this claim.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for disorders of the right knee and shoulder. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a left ankle disorder as secondary to service-connected right ankle disabilities, and whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for disorders of the right knee and shoulder are now remanded for further development.

The Board finds that the evidence supports a grant of service connection for a left shoulder disability, and the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for his right shoulder condition is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of medical records.

The Veteran's claimed left shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board finds the Veteran's statements regarding his injuries to be inconsistent with the record.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a left shoulder condition and residuals of a cervical spine fracture. The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further medical examination and opinion.