Shoulder decisions — 2013

The Board denied reopening of claims for service connection for various conditions, including right and left knee disorders, a left shoulder disorder, bronchitis, cardiac (heart) disorder, and diabetes mellitus. The evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating any of these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across the board. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or in-service events that would support her claims.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for left shoulder impingement syndrome has been granted, with the effective date set at September 12, 1992. The issue of service connection for fatigue (claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia) is being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection for a headache disorder is granted, and he is entitled to an increased rating for his right shoulder entrapment syndrome. The Board also found that the Veteran has hypertension and entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including PTSD and acquired psychiatric disorders, as well as his secondary service connection claims. The back disability was not found to be related to a right elbow disability, nor were any of the other claimed disabilities found to be related to or aggravated by the right elbow disability.

The Veteran's chronic joint problems, including as due to an undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1117, were not found to be related to his service and are therefore denied.

The Veteran's chronic left shoulder strain and degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine are found to be related to service-connected disabilities, thus granting service connection on a secondary basis.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left shoulder disability is not etiologically related to his periods of active service, including the established injury in Korea. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's initial rating for right shoulder degenerative joint disease has been granted at a 10 percent level since January 21, 2009.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability or service connection for the claimed conditions, and thus the claims are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left arm/shoulder disability is related to service and granted a rating of 20 percent for his cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected left shoulder impingement syndrome with acromioclavicular arthritis is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right shoulder degenerative joint disease is related to his in-service recurrent subluxation of the right humerus, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including pain in the left hand and wrist, degenerative arthritis of the left knee with a Baker's cyst, and depression, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board grants total disability based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for low back disorder, asthma, PTSD, knee disorders, ankle disorders, shoulder disorders, bilateral pes planus, and hypertension have been granted with initial disability ratings effective October 1, 2007.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of a left shoulder disability related to the Veteran's military service. The Veteran's right shoulder disability remains in dispute and requires further examination.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board finds that there is no credible evidence of a right upper extremity disability during or since service, and the only medical opinion evidence does not support a nexus between any current disability affecting the right upper extremity and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of his military personnel records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a kidney disorder, as well as his requests for increased ratings for various disabilities, were denied. The Veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to January 29, 2010.