Shoulder decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome, are granted based on their presumptive status under the provisions of the Persian Gulf Veterans' Act.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen for service connection for residuals of a back injury, right shoulder disorder, left leg disorder (including left thigh, knee, and foot), right leg disorder (including right thigh, knee, and foot), left shoulder disorder, heart murmur, and vision disorder. Effective dates have not been established.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability and the Veteran's claim of secondary service connection for a right shoulder disability. The decision is final as it was not appealed to the Court.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a right shoulder disorder that was incurred or aggravated by service, including during periods of Reserve and National Guard duty. The VA examiner found no evidence of such an injury in service and concluded that any current right shoulder disorders are less likely related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, and the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and right shoulder disabilities are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for entitlement to service connection for a right hip disorder, entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder, and entitlement to an increased rating for a cervical spine disorder prior to the Board's decision. As such, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected multilevel mild degenerative discogenic change of the thoracolumbar spine.,Service connection is also granted for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, but the appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for generalized arthritis of the fingers, shoulders, and hips due to new evidence submitted since the September 2009 decision. The Veteran's current condition is found to be related to his active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence does not support a grant of benefits in any of these cases.

The Board is remanding the case for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and addressing whether the Veteran's pre-existing left shoulder dislocation disorder was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability has been rated at 10 percent, and the claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any of his service-connected conditions, and the Board finds that the appellant does not have competent medical evidence to support her claim. As a result, she is not entitled to burial benefits based on the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for left arm, shoulder, and neck disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records and providing an etiology opinion.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claim of service connection for a condition manifested as chronic pain of multiple joints, including the wrists, shoulders, back, and neck. The Veteran's claims are now considered on their merits.

The Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder, major depressive disorder, is related to his military service. The Board finds that the Veteran has a right shoulder scar as a result of being stabbed in the back during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's additional disabilities were not caused by VA medical treatment, and thus denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. � 1151.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with the effective date being September 30, 2014. The left wrist condition remains at a 10 percent rating, while the right shoulder conditions are now rated as follows: recurrent dislocation of the right shoulder (previously impingement syndrome) at 10 percent from September 30, 2014; and right shoulder dislocation at 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of multiple joints, heart disability secondary to service-connected disabilities of the left knee and low back, and sleep apnea. The Veteran's arthritis is not related to his active duty service or within one year post-service.