Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of relevant evidence, including an examination to assess the severity of his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder and degenerative joint disease of the left knee.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of post-operative left shoulder rotator cuff tear are currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The RO has granted a separate 10 percent disability rating for post-operative tender and painful scarring of the left shoulder. Service connection for a right shoulder disability was denied.

The Veteran's claims to reopen service connection for shoulder, headache, hip, and leg disabilities are granted. The underlying claims of entitlement to increased ratings for service-connected residuals of a compression fracture, C-6 with degenerative disc disease and sinusitis are deferred pending completion of the development sought in the remand that follows.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed right shoulder, right knee, and back disabilities are not related to service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his cervical spine disability was denied. His right shoulder arthralgia was not service-connected.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The Veteran asserts that his service-connected right shoulder injury presents greater impairment than currently assigned.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are not of such severity as to preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and personnel records.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew it prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for recurrent subluxation of the right shoulder, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board denied service connection for bursitis of the right shoulder in November 1979, based on evidence that was considered at that time.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the claimed disabilities did not meet the criteria for service connection based on direct evidence or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder and COPD are found to be related to service. The skin rash is not linked to service, but the Board finds that there is no evidence of a current left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of his service-connected shrapnel wound of the left shoulder was denied. The RO also denied claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for melanoma, heart condition, and diabetes.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of this rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling examinations to assess his neck, back, hips, knees, shoulders, and ankles.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right ankle disability, an initial compensable evaluation for lumbar degenerative disc disease L4-L5 with spondylolisthesis, and increased rating for residuals of dislocation, scar, and degenerative joint disease, right shoulder were denied. The Veteran was granted an initial 10 percent evaluation for his lumbar degenerative disc disease L4-L5 with spondylolisthesis.

The Veteran is granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. The Board finds that the Veteran's current psychiatric symptoms are related to his military service and grants this claim.

The Board has granted service connection for right eye cataracts as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus. The remaining claims of service connection for shoulder and eye disabilities are denied.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a neck injury is denied due to lack of evidence showing additional disability or death resulting from VA care, treatment, or examination in February 2003. The right shoulder injury claim is remanded for further development.