Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development of evidence, including a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's left knee condition was rated as 10 percent prior to May 15, 2006 and as 20 percent since that date. The right knee condition has been rated at 10 percent.,Arthritis of the bilateral shoulders was not rated higher than 10 percent prior to November 29, 1999. Since then, arthritis of the left shoulder has not warranted a rating higher than 10 percent and arthritis of the right shoulder has not been rated at all.,Since August 27, 2002, arthritis of the right shoulder has been rated as 10 percent disabling. Arthritis of the hands was rated noncompensable prior to that date but is now rated at 10 percent since then.,Arthritis of the left ankle and right ankle have both been rated at 10 percent since August 27, 2002.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability, specifically impingement syndrome, is being remanded due to the lack of an examination addressing this specific condition and the potential impact on the August 2005 VA examiner.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of a right thigh disability, a lump above the collarbone, or a left knee disability. The claims for service connection for these conditions are denied as there is no competent evidence linking them to active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for various service-connected conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 20 percent for thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome and deep peroneal nerve radiculopathy, or a separate rating of 10 percent for left shoulder strain.

The Board has determined that the veteran sustained bilateral shoulder and neck disorders as a result of transporting wounded soldiers during combat in Iraq, and service connection for these disabilities is granted.

The Board has denied all service connection claims as there is no competent evidence of current disabilities for the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to inadequate examination reports and missing VA outpatient treatment records. The Veteran needs a comprehensive VA examination to determine the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The appeal was withdrawn by the appellant before the Board promulgated a decision.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder and foot were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The appeal as to the issue of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected left shoulder impingement is dismissed due to a lack of justiciable case or controversy.

The Veteran's hypertension, osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, osteoarthritis of the shoulder and osteoarthritis of the left ankle were not related to his service or any incident during active service.

The Veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal with the VA regarding the issues addressed in the May 2006 SOC appealing the December 2004 RO decision.

The Board grants the claim of entitlement to compensation benefits pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of MRSA infection of the right arm and shoulder.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues, and the Board has no jurisdiction to consider them.

The Veteran's PTSD was incurred in active service, but the evidence does not establish that he has a current diagnosis of impingement syndrome of the left shoulder that is etiologically related to an event or injury during his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, characterized as postoperative residuals of impingement syndrome and degenerative changes, is due to an injury sustained during her period of active service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, DDD of the lumbosacral spine, axonal sensorimotor neuropathy and radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and a right shoulder disability as they were not related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability rating and a TDIU, as the evidence did not support a higher rating or entitlement to a TDIU.

The Board remands the claims for a bilateral knee condition, bilateral shoulder condition, and bilateral hip condition to an examiner for an opinion on whether these conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected residuals of coccidioidomycosis.