Shoulder decisions — 2011

The Veteran's heart disease is presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection for hypertension and right shoulder disorder are denied. Diabetes mellitus, type II was granted a 10% rating from May 10, 2004 to May 21, 2007, and a 20% rating effective May 22, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of a left shoulder disorder and the Veteran does not have a chronic left shoulder disorder resulting from service. The claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder is denied.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability has been productive of pain and limitation of motion, but does not nearly approximate arm motion limited to 25 degrees from the side. The schedular criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent for recurrent dislocation with post operative residuals of the left shoulder have not been met.

The Board found no evidence of chronic fatigue syndrome, memory loss, psychiatric disability, circulatory disability, or pain in the back of the head and right shoulder during service. The Veteran's complaints were not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development, including obtaining an opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's death and service connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, including DDD and cervical spondylosis, is presumed to be due to service. His left shoulder arthritis is also presumed to be due to service. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and bilateral foot disorders are related to his military service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was granted service connection and an initial rating of 70 percent for his PTSD, with no higher. The Board found that the evidence supported a finding of in-service injury to the right shoulder and continuity of symptoms since then.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to determine his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the relationship between his current left shoulder and cervical spine disabilities and service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and examinations, as well as any private treatment records from a chiropractor. The Veteran is entitled to initial compensable ratings for his service-connected left shoulder strain with history of compression arthralgia and hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his request for withdrawal of the appeal with regard to the claims for service connection for a left knee disability and a right shoulder disability.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against finding a nexus between the Veteran's left shoulder disability and active military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing records and an inadequate VA examination report.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and a VA examination.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent prior to April 1, 2011. Since April 2, 2011, the disability has been rated as 30 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability and spinal disability were not incurred in service or due to a service-connected condition, resulting in a denial of these claims.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective December 11, 2003. The Board found that the current rating adequately reflects the Veteran's symptoms and does not warrant a higher evaluation.