Shoulder Board decisions

The Board found that arthritis of the left shoulder was not shown in service nor after service, and is not presumed to have been incurred therein. The claim for service connection for arthritis of the left shoulder was denied.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected right ankle disability and denied service connection for a right knee and shoulder condition. The RO had previously denied these claims in July 1996, but the veteran did not appeal.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining relevant medical records and confirming in-service stressors.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for payment of additional compensation for his dependents, finding that he did not provide evidence of dependency within one year of notification and thus the effective date was March 1, 2004.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for psoriasis with seborrheic dermatitis and various forms of psoriatic arthritis were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and readjudicating the issues on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there was no credible evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange or other presumptive conditions and that the veteran did not have a history of active service in Vietnam. The Board also found that the veteran had not established service connection for these conditions based on direct evidence.

The Board found no evidence of chronic disabilities manifested by joint pain, fatigue, or memory loss that are related to service. The veteran's complaints were attributed to PTSD and alcoholism.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further proceedings, including scheduling a VA examination and requesting clarification of the veteran's employment history. The veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities as a whole.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left knee and right shoulder conditions have been denied. The current evaluations are found to be appropriate based on the evidence provided.

The VA denied higher ratings for service-connected shell fragment wound scars of the left shoulder and right shoulder, finding that the current symptoms are not due to in-service injuries but rather glenohumeral arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and additional development is required.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a shell fragment wound left arm with shoulder impairment are currently rated at 30 percent, the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 5201. The other issues have not been addressed due to procedural issues.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, a left shoulder disability, and low back disability. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) is pending as part of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not currently suffer from any of the claimed conditions and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's low back disorder is related to service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The left shoulder disorder and dental condition secondary to jaw fracture are not found to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional examinations and review of the claims file to determine if any service connection is warranted for various disabilities.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluation of low back disorder, service connection for bilateral arthritis of the hands, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II were denied. The claims for reopening service connection for herniated nucleus pulposus of C5-C6 and right shoulder disorder were also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder disability warrants a 30 percent rating, effective March 3, 2004.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability with left shoulder involvement.