Shoulder Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is not related to service, and denied his claim for service connection. The neck/cervical spine issue will be remanded for further examination.

The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder disability that is separate and distinct from the service-connected bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. The Veteran's current right shoulder disability, if present, does not meet the criteria for SMC.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disorder, variously diagnosed as tendonitis and impingement.,Service connection is denied for the Veteran's claimed left knee disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and he was granted a compensable rating for his left shoulder disability effective April 1, 2010. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to November 12, 2005.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than July 15, 1991 for service connection are not warranted as there is no indication of a pending claim prior to this date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his VA treatment records and providing him with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed left shoulder disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and back disabilities, to include as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities. However, no new evidence was received within one year of the August 2005 rating decision that would establish a current disability or link it to service.

The Veteran's claims regarding the reopening of service connection for bilateral knee condition, left hip condition, and left shoulder condition are being remanded due to a request for a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The criteria for an increased rating under the applicable diagnostic codes were not met.

The Veteran's service connection for multiple joint and muscle pain, including fibromyalgia, has been granted. His left cubital tunnel syndrome is rated at 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's arthritis of the right shoulder, elbow and wrist was not incurred or aggravated during active duty. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's post-operative left shoulder disability is productive of chronic pain and limited motion, warranting a 20 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability is currently rated as 0 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher initial rating is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities of left ear hearing loss, right shoulder tendonitis, or right knee tendonitis. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right shoulder bursitis, left shoulder bursitis, thoracolumbar spine disability, sinusitis, eosinophilic granule residuals, and cervical diskectomy with mild loss of range of motion, have resulted in a combined rating of 70 percent as of May 1, 2009. The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities precluding him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address the existence and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the right shoulder and low back are being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the onset and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claimed conditions of joint pain, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, polyarthralgia and arthritis of multiple joints (excluding right shoulder and lumbar spine) were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a chronic sleep disorder, initial compensable rating for left knee disability, initial rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical spine disability, and initial compensable rating for bursitis in the left shoulder were denied. The claim for headaches was partially granted with a 10% rating prior to April 13, 2012, and a 30% rating from that date onward.

The Veteran's left shoulder injury residuals have been rated at 20 percent since the effective date of service connection. The Board has determined that his condition warrants a higher rating to 40 percent due to ankylosis of the scapulohumeral articulation without fibrous union or nonunion of the humerus and limitation of motion to 25 degrees from the side.