Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, left knee, and left shoulder conditions. The evidence shows that these disabilities are related to his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there are no service-connected disabilities preventing the Veteran from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a vision disability, right shoulder disability, and umbilical hernia. The Board found that none of these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's current right shoulder disability and his active military service, concluding that the condition is more likely related to an injury sustained in 1997.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected hearing loss. The claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied as there is no evidence showing that VA received a claim from the Veteran prior to January 26, 2006.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder sprain was incurred during active service, and thus grants his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee disability is related to his service-connected left knee condition, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Board has determined that further development of the Veteran's claims is warranted due to a lack of VA etiology examinations for her claimed psychiatric disorder and right shoulder disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right shoulder and left knee disorders are not related to his military service, as there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to any event, injury, or disease during service. The preponderance of the evidence supports a finding against the Veteran's claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is related to in-service acoustic trauma and granted service connection for this condition. The claims of service connection for right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder are also granted.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating on an extraschedular basis. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for COPD or residuals of burns on the neck and shoulder, as there is no credible medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, right shoulder and bilateral elbow disabilities due to overuse in service. The Veteran's congenital Ehlers-Danlos syndrome was aggravated by the physical demands of service.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support a finding of service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including residuals of a right shoulder injury, arthritis of the right shoulder, and nerve problems in the neck and shoulder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder condition is not related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records. The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no new and material evidence to reopen his claim for a back disorder. The other claims were also denied as the Veteran did not have current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, DEA under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. Chapter 35, and service-connected burial benefits due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or contributed substantially to his death.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for all issues related to his service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or earlier effective dates.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and medical records.