Shoulder decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including a VA examination to determine if his bilateral shoulder and ankle disabilities are related to his military service, specifically exposure to cold.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is service-connected, as it was caused by an injury sustained during INACDUTRA. The claims for bilateral knee disabilities and a chronic disorder of the left arm are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current nature, extent and severity of his shrapnel wound residuals. The case will be readjudicated after this development.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, GERD, and post-traumatic migraine headaches have been granted initial ratings of 20 percent each.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for arthritis of multiple joints. The Veteran's current arthritic conditions are considered as likely due to disease or injury incurred in active service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including another VA examination to address the relationship between his service-connected residuals of a fracture and any diagnosed right arm/shoulder disability.

The Veteran's increased ratings for his right and left shoulder disabilities were granted effective May 14, 2007. His current rating of 30% for the left shoulder is effective November 1, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and arranging for a VA examination to assess his left shoulder disability and pulmonary asbestosis.

The Board found no chronic right knee, right ankle, or left shoulder disorders in service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause his death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The evidence does not support the assignment of a compensable rating for any of his claimed conditions.

The Board granted service connection for right shoulder arthritis and assigned a 20% rating effective from June 30, 2004.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO/Appeals Management Center for additional development, including scheduling a hearing before the Board.

The Board has dismissed the appeal seeking service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The claims to reopen for multiple myeloma, residuals of a left heel fracture, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as new and material evidence was not received.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as his service-connected left ankle sprain, left shoulder strain, cervical strain, and lumbar strain do not warrant a rating in excess of the currently assigned 10 percent ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a dislocated right shoulder and a scar on the left leg, with effective dates set at November 15, 2006.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which include recurrent dislocation of the right shoulder and anxiety, render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that she meets the requirements for consideration of an extra-schedular TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for CTS in the right arm is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for a scar associated with his right wrist disorder is granted, and assigned an effective date of January 30, 2002.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for left hip strain and the assignment of a 10% disability evaluation is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for right shoulder/back disorder is denied.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating for CTS from May 7, 1997 to October 19, 2000 remains at a 30% disability evaluation.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was not found to warrant a compensable rating during the period from July 3, 1999 to June 14, 2006 due to the absence of limitation of motion and normal x-rays. The presence of subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5202.