Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including residuals of a right shoulder injury, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disability, and a back injury. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the veteran's left shoulder condition.

The veteran's claims for service connection for chronic cough, headaches, fatigue, and joint pain have been partially granted due to presumed undiagnosed illness related to his military service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. The veteran is still seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected right shoulder impingement syndrome, left and right ankle tendonitis, and arthritis of the ankles. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were related to service or warranted increased disability ratings.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right shoulder or right ankle disability and therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's multiple conditions are being remanded for a thorough VA examination to determine if they are related to his participation in Project SHAD, including exposure to toxic materials.

The Board has decided that the veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and low back disabilities need further review based on missing VA medical records.

The Board found that the veteran did not have an employment handicap and was considered to be at the point of employability for an entry level position with his undergraduate degree. The veteran's service-connected disabilities were rated as 30 percent combined, but he was determined to have overcome his handicap through education.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, PTSD, narcolepsy, arthritis of the bilateral shoulders, and residuals of a shrapnel injury to the neck. The remaining claim for numbness and tingling of the bilateral arms, hands, and fingers (as secondary to residuals of a shrapnel injury to the neck) is remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including colon cancer and COPD, all of which were attributed to asbestos exposure. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any other inservice event.

The veteran's claims for service connection for chronic insomnia, initial evaluations of post-operative right shoulder instability and left ulnar nerve neuropathy, and initial compensable evaluations for right ulnar nerve neuritis were denied. The veteran's claim for L1 compression fracture residuals was remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, and joint pain of the shoulders, hips, and elbows. The reasons were that there was no verified stressor for PTSD, and the veteran did not have objective signs of a chronic disability for fatigue or joint pain.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected gunshot wound to the right shoulder, which currently results in a 30 percent disability. The case has been remanded due to inadequate peripheral nerve examination and need for proper notice under Dingess v. Nicholson.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder condition, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, and status post right kidney anomaly due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal regarding his claim for increased evaluations for disabilities involving the left shoulder, the left knee, the right shoulder, and the lower back. As a result, the March 2003 rating decision is denied.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain additional medical records and verify the veteran's service dates. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Board has restored the veteran's left shoulder impingement syndrome rating to 30 percent effective April 1, 2005. The TDIU claim is remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including low back disability and left shoulder disability, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these disabilities.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine and bilateral shoulder disabilities, jaw and mandible disabilities, and a deviated septum. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The criteria for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, left forearm scar, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and left shoulder strain are not met. The claim for an increased rating for the left foot disability is also denied.