Shoulder decisions — 2012

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 10 percent prior to January 25, 2011 and increased to 30 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability was rated at 10 percent prior to May 12, 2009 and increased to 20 percent thereafter.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further examination and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for left arm, elbow, and shoulder disabilities. The case will be returned to the Board after additional development.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including traumatic brain injury, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, sleep disorder, bilateral elbow disability, hearing loss of the left ear, tinnitus, cold weather injuries of the upper and lower extremities, are not supported by the evidence. The Board has determined that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated during service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a respiratory condition and bronchitis/pleurisy, were denied as the evidence did not support these claims. The exposure basis was presumed Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left shoulder and arm disability, finding that new and material evidence has been presented. The Veteran's current symptoms of left shoulder pain are related to his active service.

The Board finds that the Veteran was not exposed to mustard gas during service, and thus cannot establish service connection for any of his claimed disabilities based on such exposure. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection either.

The Veteran's hypertension, hiatal hernia, low back disorder, arthritis of the shoulders and knees, and left shoulder disability are not found to be related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right hip disability, left shoulder disorder, bilateral hearing loss, stomach disorder, and others. The decision also addressed the Veteran's employment status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of chronic neck and right trapezius disorder, right shoulder disability with arthritis and rotator cuff tendinitis, disorder of the right ulnar nerve, and right ring, middle, and index finger arthritis were denied as these conditions are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service and were not caused or aggravated by any service-connected disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder, cervical spine, and low back disorders are not related to his active service or a service-connected disability. The claims of entitlement to service connection for these conditions were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic left shoulder tendonitis with acromioclavicular (AC) joint arthritis is related to his in-service complaints of left shoulder pain, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for a chronic skin disorder and PTSD was denied as the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and VA outpatient clinic records. He will also be scheduled for a VA examination to assess the severity of his PTSD and left upper extremity disability.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for residuals of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), left hand and shoulder, and sleep apnea to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a disability manifested by temporary memory loss and respiratory disabilities, were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or etiological links to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and a ventral hernia, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, right knee, and right shoulder disabilities are service-connected as they are related to injuries sustained during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for his right shoulder disability is denied as it is a free-standing claim challenging a final decision, and not related to service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on the current level of impairment.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected right shoulder GSW and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for any condition.