Shoulder Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of a right shoulder disability or cervical spine disorder incurred during service and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his left shoulder disability could not be decided due to the failure to appear for a VA examination, resulting in denial.

The Board found no evidence of service connection for pseudo-gout arthritis of both shoulders or chronic low back disability to include as secondary to the service-connected right knee disability. The veteran's right ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion were limited, but did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the appellant requesting withdrawal of his appeal. As a result, the case is dismissed.

The veteran's hearing loss and hepatitis C are found to be service-connected. The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder and shoulder injury claim is pending further development.

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between any current disabilities and service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for right arm/elbow, right leg, and right hip disabilities are denied. The cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right shoulder disabilities were established prior to service and are not considered incurred in or aggravated by service. Service connection is granted for the skin disability and right knee disability as they were established prior to service. Hypertension was not present during service or within one year of separation.

The Board found that a back disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's postoperative residuals of a left shoulder injury do not warrant an increased rating prior to July 2004 or since July 2004, as his disability does not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on unfavorable ankylosis or fibrous union of the humerus.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a direct or secondary theory of entitlement.

The veteran's left shoulder disability and arthritis are currently rated at 20 percent each, with no increase in rating granted.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals found that the veteran's right shoulder condition did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent, as his disability did not involve limitation of motion or frequent episodes of recurrent dislocation.

The veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and right shoulder injury residuals were denied. The Board found no current evidence of these conditions, and the claim for new and material evidence regarding cervical and low back injuries was also denied.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left shoulder or arm disability in service and concluded that the current condition is not related to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has decided that the veteran does not have vasculitis other than Schamberg's capillaritis of the lower extremities, and his right shoulder adhesive capsulitis is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The claims for Parkinson's disease require further development.

The veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability resulting from a failed shoulder surgery at the VA, and the Board has determined that further medical examination is needed to determine if the care was negligent or unforeseeable.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for further development due to changes in rating criteria and the need for updated VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for initial consideration of additional evidence, including VA treatment records from April 2001 to July 2005. The veteran was not provided with a waiver of AOJ review prior to appellate review.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral shoulder and foot disabilities. The petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for neck and bilateral knee conditions have been granted, allowing de novo reconsideration of these claims on the merits.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's right shoulder injury with retained foreign body, finding that it is manifested by a very small scar and does not limit motion or cause other functional impairment.