Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a chronic right ankle, wrist, or shoulder disorder during service or for many years thereafter. The Veteran's current diagnoses are not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back, left leg, and left hip disabilities. The decision found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim and did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to the severity of his service-connected disabilities, which include degenerative disc disease, degenerative changes of both knees, diabetes mellitus type 2, pes cavus in both feet, hypertension, arthritic changes of the left shoulder, and rheumatoid arthritis affecting both lower extremities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral Dupuytren's contracture of the hands was incurred in service and granted service connection. However, the right shoulder tendonitis does not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and whether referral for extraschedular consideration may be warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on November 3, 2007 is being remanded due to the lack of supporting VA records and missing private medical records.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee, left shoulder, and neck disorders are not related to her military service. The VA examiner concluded these conditions are more likely due to a civilian motor vehicle accident in 2001.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression, glaucoma, lumbar degenerative joint disease, left shoulder disorder, neck disorder, and chest pain due to a sternum injury as chronic disabilities resulting from an undiagnosed illness. The claims were remanded on the theory of direct service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back, right shoulder, and right ankle disabilities due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and bilateral knee disorders are not related to his active duty service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may arthritis be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Veteran's right shoulder and left ankle disabilities are service-connected. His right knee disability is not service-connected.

The Veteran does not have hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD), bronchitis, or arthritis of the legs, shoulders, or back that was caused or aggravated by his service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing records from the Social Security Administration and the Detroit VA Medical Center.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for right shoulder and arm injury, ankle injury, and back injury were denied as there was no evidence of additional disability resulting from VA care.

The Veteran's claimed right shoulder, neck, and low back disorders, as well as hearing loss and tinnitus, are not considered to be related to service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has denied service connection for arthritis of the left shoulder as secondary to a service-connected injury, and has granted a 10% rating for the service-connected left forearm laceration. The claim for reopening the right hand and right fingers disability was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as her service-connected right shoulder disability does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent.