Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left shoulder, and back conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development including confirmation of National Guard service dates and a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination and to obtain her complete VA treatment records from December 2006 to present. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, including degenerative joint disease and recurrent dislocation with scar, is currently rated at 50 percent. The Board has granted a full grant of the benefit sought for TDIU due to his service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disorder and found that the right shoulder disorder is related to military service. The claim for Hepatitis B was not substantiated.

The Veteran's right shoulder impingement syndrome was previously rated at 30 percent, but has since been reduced to 20 percent effective June 1, 2007. The Board finds that the reduction from 30 percent to 20 percent was proper as there was improvement in his range of motion and ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a right shoulder disability, which she contends is related to her service-connected lumbosacral strain. The Board has ordered another examination and remanded the case due to conflicting medical evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder disorder and right knee disorder, finding that these conditions are related to his active duty military service.

The Board found no current diagnosed bilateral knee or right shoulder disability and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent since May 2, 2007. He also has a separate 10 percent rating for his right knee condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to service and have denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, resulting from a gunshot wound, has been rated at 40 percent since 1970. The Board found that the current rating of 50 percent is warranted based on severe impairment of strength and atrophy of Muscle Groups I, II, and III.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to new evidence received since his last final denial. The claims will be further developed, including obtaining VA treatment records, scheduling examinations, and readjudicating the issues.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as of January 1, 2009 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including retrieval of hospital records and a VA compensation examination to assess the nature and severity of his gunshot wound residuals in the left shoulder area. The issues concerning higher initial rating for CAD and earlier effective date for SMC are also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his claimed conditions, finding that they were not proximately due to or the result of a service-connected left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of in-patient records from his active duty service.

The Veteran's current left shoulder disability, post-traumatic arthritis of the left shoulder and AC joint, is considered to be related to a dislocation that occurred during service. As such, the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and skin disability, but denied reopening of the claim for back disability. The Veteran's skin condition is related to service by way of aggravation, while his bilateral shoulder disability does not appear to be related to service.

The Board denied service connection for multiple joint disability other than bilateral hips and knees, finding that the Veteran's diagnosed conditions are not due to an undiagnosed illness or medically unexplained multisymptom illness.