Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tendonitis of the left shoulder is being remanded due to inadequate examination findings. A new VA examination will be scheduled to evaluate the current severity of his disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disability was not manifested during service, is not a result of a disease or injury in service, and is not causally related to, or aggravated by, his service-connected right shoulder disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right shoulder disorders are related to his active service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disorder with scars is rated at 20 percent effective from October 11, 2011. Prior to that date, the disability was rated as noncompensable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including cardiac disease and cervical spine disorders, are not service-connected as they were first shown decades after military service and are unrelated to any incident during active service. The claims for secondary service connection have also been denied.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left shoulder disability was granted, with an effective date of September 16, 2006. The current evaluation is 10 percent for the period prior to January 6, 2012 and 20 percent as of that date.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder and right hip disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied these claims. The left hip disability and lumbar spine disability have been improperly severed from service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for right shoulder capsulitis including right upper extremity complex regional pain syndrome was denied. The current evaluation is considered appropriate based on the limited range of motion demonstrated.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right shoulder, cervical spine, and dermatitis claims.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection and a higher initial rating for his left shoulder disability was denied. The Board found that the July 2002 denial of service connection was final, and no new and material evidence had been received within one year of notification.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between current disabilities and service. The Veteran's complaints of pain in joints are being evaluated again by VA.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder and left knee have been remanded due to new evidence submitted after a previous denial, and additional development is needed including obtaining VA treatment records, SSA records, and an opinion regarding aggravation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination. Without an examination, the Board cannot determine if the claimed conditions are related to service or secondary to other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and arranging for VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities of the knees, ankles, shoulders and hands as they are not shown to be related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left shoulder impingement prior to September 28, 2010 or from September 28, 2010 onwards. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ulnar palsy and lumbar spine strain were also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete VA treatment records and a need for a new VA examination of the Veteran's right shoulder disability. The issues on appeal include service connection for a back disability, to include as due to impingement syndrome, right shoulder, and an increased rating for impingement syndrome, right shoulder.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant through his authorized representative.

The Board denied a disability rating greater than 20 percent for the Veteran's left shoulder arthropathy with recurrent dislocations, finding that the criteria were not met.