Shoulder Board decisions

The veteran's diabetes mellitus, lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were not found to warrant ratings in excess of those currently assigned.

The claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, cervical spine, and left hip disorders are being remanded to provide the veteran with proper notice regarding new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an upper respiratory infection, residuals of a fracture of the left fourth finger, Osgood-Schlatter's disease, costochondritis, eustachian tube dysfunction, allergic conjunctivitis, and right shoulder muscle strain as there is no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and found that the veteran's right shoulder arthritis did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his right and left shoulder disabilities and right and left knee disabilities, as there was no evidence of a more severe disability that would warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's claims for service connection for asbestosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a left arm and shoulder disorder, a right ankle disorder and foot sprain, and right arm radiculopathy were denied. A higher initial rating for the service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral knee disorder, a bilateral shoulder disorder, a neck disorder, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome based on the evidence showing that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board remands the veteran's claim for a VA examination to determine if his current left shoulder disability is related to an in-service injury.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disorder and hypertension, but granted the claim to reopen for a low back disorder. The veteran's right knee condition was not related to his military service, while new evidence suggested a possible link between his current low back condition and his military service.

The veteran's request to reopen a previously disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral shoulder disorder was denied as the new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the underlying claim.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right shoulder, and skin conditions as there was no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's active duty and his currently shown conditions.

The appeal is remanded to provide the appellant with VCAA notice and obtain additional medical records.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder, lower back disorder, left ankle disorder, and sinusitis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the veteran's military service.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including Type II Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, chronic sinusitis, a skin condition, osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, thumbs, and knees, diverticulosis, and hiatal hernia and GERD, as none were found to be related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board remands the case to the RO for additional development, including a search for medical records from Parris Island and service personnel records.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's left shoulder injury, right and left tibial stress reactions, bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, and depression. However, a 30 percent rating was granted for bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis effective August 3, 2007.

The veteran is entitled to service connection for a right shoulder disability on the basis of in-service aggravation and an undiagnosed multi-symptom illness manifested by blurry vision, headaches, joint pain, fatigue, memory loss, and personality changes.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding no evidence of an injury during service and noting that the first indication of any left shoulder problem was several years after discharge.

The veteran's right shoulder disability was incurred in active service and, therefore, service connection is warranted.

The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to address the veteran's left shoulder disorder and its potential relation to service, specifically considering an in-service treatment report from 1967.