Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability and has determined that he meets the criteria for service connection. The appeal regarding the right knee disability is remanded due to incomplete information.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of his claimed shoulder, knee, and headache disabilities as well as the severity of his service-connected thoracolumbar strain.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a chronic left rhomboid or cervical spine disability in service, and the medical opinion provided does not support a finding that any current disabilities are related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The decision did not address the issue of service connection, as it was addressed in a separate remand.

The Veteran's right shoulder acromioclavicular arthritis is rated at 10 percent. The claims for service connection of a prostate disorder, low back disorder, and bilateral wrist disorders are granted as new and material evidence has been received. The claim for service connection of the right elbow, low back, and left knee disorders remains pending.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability and asbestosis, as well as his claim for TDIU, are being remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability has been rated at 20 percent since September 16, 2005. The Board found that the impairment from September 16, 2005 to September 25, 2005 and from April 1, 2006 forward is comparable to limitation of motion to shoulder level.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records. The issues include bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, left eye disability (post-surgical scar), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are severe enough to prevent her from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the left shoulder was withdrawn. The RO continued a 30 percent rating for his right shoulder disability, and the case is remanded for further development including a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, and he is now service-connected for his right shoulder condition. However, the initial evaluation assigned remains at 0 percent.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of hearing on some issues and because one claim is stayed based on new presumptions. The remaining eight claims are pending.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for back and bilateral shoulder disorders, which he attributes to inservice gunshot wounds. The Board finds there is a further duty to assist the Veteran with his claims and remands the case for additional development.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including review of new evidence submitted by the Veteran and issuance of a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine arthritis with degenerative disc disease and chronic muscle strain, but denied service connection for right shoulder arthritis with chronic muscle strain and left shoulder arthritis with chronic muscle strain as not related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran is not entitled to higher disability ratings or service connection based on the evidence of record.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hip disorder, hypertension, right shoulder disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, asthmatic bronchitis, pericarditis with syncope, and potassium losing nephropathy. The denial is based on a lack of competent evidence linking these conditions to service or the undiagnosed illness presumption.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for his heart, hernia, paralyzed right hemi diaphragm, and vagus nerve disorders as secondary to his left subclavian shoulder/arm disorder.

The Veteran's additional disability of a stiff or 'frozen' left shoulder is not considered to be caused by any fault on the part of VA, and therefore compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability has been granted an increased rating to 20 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The left shoulder disability remains at a 10 percent rating.