Shoulder decisions — 2010

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, as they have no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disorder and increased ratings for his right arm limitation of motion and degenerative joint disease of the right scapula. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including recurrent dislocations and degenerative joint disease, is currently rated at 20 percent. The Board finds that the evidence does not warrant a higher rating.

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

The Veteran's right foot disability was not present during service and is denied. The Board also found no current cervical spine or bilateral shoulder disabilities, thus denying the claims for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder and remanded it for further development. The Veteran submitted new evidence showing he had surgery on his shoulder in October 1975, which is considered material as it raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating his claim.

The Board found no evidence of a current bilateral shoulder disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for keloids of the shoulders and back is granted. The Board finds that his keloids are related to his military service, as evidenced by their presence at the time of his discharge from service and subsequent progression over the years. Service connection is also granted for incontinence secondary to his service-connected hemorrhoids. However, service connection for bilateral hearing loss cannot be established based on the available evidence.

The Veteran is unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disability. The Board finds that the Veteran's unemployability is a result of his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased rating for hemorrhoids, service connection for mental disability (generalized anxiety disorder), sexual dysfunction, right ankle and shoulder disabilities, and reopening of previously denied claims for bilateral knee and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, as evidenced by his in-service treatment and current symptoms. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for right knee chondromalacia, but did not find any other conditions related to active service.

The Veteran's original claim for service connection was received more than one year after his discharge from active duty, and thus the effective date of service connection is June 8, 2004.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for rheumatoid arthritis, multiple joints was denied as there is no evidence of the condition. The issues of service connection for bilateral shoulder disability, right hip disability, left hip disability (status-post hip replacement), and lumbar spine disability are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as the claim of an earlier effective date for a right ankle disability was not properly raised. The issues of service connection for wrist and neck disorders are denied due to lack of evidence of current disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder impingement with AC joint arthritis is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition. The issue of right shoulder joint arthritis remains pending as additional development is needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pre-existing left shoulder/arm disability was aggravated during service, and therefore grants service connection for a current left shoulder/arm disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates were denied, but the Board remanded them for further development.,Service connection was granted for right ankle traumatic arthritis with an effective date of November 14, 2006.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination to determine if any left shoulder disorder is related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for spondylosis of the cervical spine with degenerative disc disease C5-6 and C7, left varicocele, and right shoulder bursitis are all denied as there is no current evidence of a disability or nexus to service.