Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, characterized by fusion of the acromioclavicular joint, does not meet the criteria for a higher than 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The claim of service connection for arthritis of major joints other than the knees is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.

The Board has granted an effective date of July 8, 2005 for the award of a 20% disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disorder and has also granted entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disorder secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disorder.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent from June 16, 2006 to January 4, 2010. Since then, the rating has been denied.,For his lumbar spine disability, a 10 percent rating has been assigned throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to evaluate the complete nature and severity of his service-connected post-operative residuals of dislocations of the left shoulder. The case will also be readjudicated with consideration of whether separate ratings are warranted based on muscle injury or neurological conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues that had been remanded by the Board, including service connection claims and a higher evaluation for PTSD.

The Board has determined that another VA examination is needed to determine the nature, extent and etiology of any right hip disorder or multiple joint arthritis currently present. The Veteran's claim for service connection will be remanded for further development.

The Veteran has a depressive disorder with fatigue that is as likely as not caused by service-connected ulcerative colitis with pouchitis and ankylosing spondylitis. The Board finds reasonable doubt in favor of the claim, granting service connection for this condition on a secondary basis.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA clinical records and scheduling an examination to address the etiology of any current bilateral knee and shoulder disorders.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right elbow disability, pharyngitis, low back disability, left shoulder disability, and right knee disability. The Veteran's claims for hypertension (secondary to sleep apnea), right foot disorder, and bowel and bladder impairment were also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, finding that none were incurred or aggravated by his military service and that any current disabilities are not related to his service.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder and elbow disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the left arm.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the hands and shoulders in December 2007. New evidence received since then does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim, while the left shoulder rotator cuff tear is found to be unrelated to service.

The Veteran's gallbladder disease and left shoulder disability were not found to be the result of VA care, thus his claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 are denied.

The Board granted an initial compensable evaluation (20%) for the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability, finding that his functional loss due to pain more nearly approximates limitation of motion at shoulder level.

The VA determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and bilateral hip disorders are not related to her active service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service. The Board finds the VA examination opinion credible and concludes that the current conditions are not due to service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left shoulder bursitis and left mid-scapular myositis were denied as there was no evidence of functional impairment warranting a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability is reasonably shown to have been caused by his service-connected left TKR, and therefore grants secondary service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder impingement, bilateral wrist condition, and right hand ganglion cyst removal residuals.,A compensable rating of 10% is assigned for the service-connected herpes simplex.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, left shoulder injury, neck injury, right knee injury, and left knee injury were denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active military service.