Shoulder decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining Social Security records.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including de novo review of his service-connected disabilities and a TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disorder is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition. The back disorder claim remains pending as it was not addressed in the March 2007 rating decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hand, shoulder, and back conditions were denied as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease. The claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was also denied due to lack of qualifying wartime service.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his post-operative left shoulder dislocation, with degenerative traumatic arthritis, left glenohumeral joint, as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hearing loss, nerve damage and perforated ear drums, tinnitus in the right ear, and residuals from burns on the shoulders and back. The Board finds that additional VA examination is needed to determine the current existence and etiology of these conditions.

The Board found there was CUE in the July 1972 and August 1972 rating decisions which failed to grant service connection for moderately severe muscle injuries to Muscle Groups I, II, and IV. Had service connection been granted such disabilities at the time, the Veteran's combined rating would have been 30 percent.

The Board denied an increase in the evaluation for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating since November 22, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is required.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and service connection. The claims for prostate cancer as secondary to prostatitis were also withdrawn, but the Veteran's assertions regarding potential VA negligence in failing to diagnose or treat prostate cancer did not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining medical records from various VA facilities and an urgent care facility.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is causally or etiologically related to service. The Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and determine whether any claimed conditions are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any chronic residuals of concussion, bruised rib, hyperextension of the right knee, right ankle sprain, right small toe fracture, right broken collarbone/right shoulder disorder, right hip injury, cold weather injury to hands, or fractured nose. The claims are denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, bilateral shoulder arthritis, and bilateral hand arthritis. The claim for service connection for a colon disorder is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disorder is not proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected post-injury, metacarpals, index and middle fingers of the right hand. Additionally, the Veteran's current right index and middle finger disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disorder and low back disorder, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen these previously denied claims.

The Veteran's CFS, respiratory disability, heart disability, intestinal disability, bilateral shoulder disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), headaches, arthritis of all joints, and fibromyalgia were not related to service.,Service connection for hypertension was granted but the rating assigned is noncompensable (zero percent).,The Veteran's lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease currently manifests as pain and minimal limitation of motion.