Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's death was caused by pancreatic cancer, but the Board finds that his service-connected coronary artery disease substantially contributed to his death. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, or sleep difficulties. The claim for TDIU is also under consideration.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied as the evidence does not support an earlier effective date or higher rating than what has already been granted.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is not manifested by a right arm motion limited to shoulder level, or by either malunion or nonunion of the clavicle or scapula. The schedular criteria for an evaluation greater than 10 percent for right shoulder disability have not been met.

The VA physician concluded that the Veteran's additional right shoulder disability was not caused by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on VA's part. The opinion did not address whether the disability was due to an event not reasonably foreseeable.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including psychiatric conditions, knee and shoulder injuries, and a stomach disability. The Veteran's claims are pending further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is likely attributable to his active military service and grants service connection for this condition. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, bilateral shoulder disability, ulcers, and erectile dysfunction are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the claims need further clarification regarding the Veteran's service dates and type of service. The claims are being remanded to obtain this information.

The Board has granted service connection for a right acromioclavicular joint dislocation, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his active duty service. The evidence supports this conclusion with credible lay statements and medical opinions indicating ongoing shoulder pain during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues include seeking increased ratings for his service-connected right shoulder disability and TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling of a VA examination to determine the scope and severity of his service-connected shrapnel wound injuries and any other related disabilities. The examiner must also provide an opinion as to whether each condition is related to one or both of the Veteran's inservice shell fragment wound injuries.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability warrants a restoration of the 30 percent disability rating from February 1, 1999 to August 19, 2007. The claim for a higher rating is denied as there is no evidence showing sustained improvement in his condition during this period.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining service personnel records and VA treatment records. Additionally, a VA examination is required for each of his claimed disabilities.

The Board found no credible evidence of an in-service left shoulder injury and denied service connection for the claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right knee and shoulder disabilities are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated during his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of any nexus between these conditions and the 1992 fall he reported.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of whether he qualifies under an extraschedular rating.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic right shoulder, hip, or jaw disability during service or for many years thereafter and thus denied the claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder disability did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating in excess of 20 percent during the entire initial rating period.

The Veteran is seeking basic eligibility for VA educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30, Title 38 of the United States Code. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if his discharge was due to a service-connected disability and therefore qualifies him for early discharge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations were denied. The Veteran was granted service connection for hepatitis C, but not for the other conditions.