Shoulder Board decisions

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right fourth metacarpal fracture, post-operative residuals of a right elbow injury, and residuals of a right foot injury. The claim for an increased rating for his right shoulder injury was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have present manifestations of a left shoulder disability, and thus, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim for service connection for recurrent right shoulder dislocations, thus the claim remains denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and left shoulder arthralgia were granted, with a rating of 40 percent for the lumbar spine effective prior to November 22, 2005.

The Board finds that the veteran did not have any in-service injury or disease of the right upper cheek, right arm, hands, or right leg resulting from service. There is no current medical evidence of a disability related to these issues.

The veteran's arthritis of the cervical spine, shoulders, right hip, left hip, and knees are not service connected. However, his degenerative disc disease and spondylosis of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 10% from July 5, 2002 and increased to 40% from March 4, 2006.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and higher initial ratings for his right knee, bilateral shoulder conditions, and scar from a donor site. The veteran was not granted any new or material evidence to reopen his claim for patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee.

The Board has determined that the earliest possible effective date for the grants of service connection is January 24, 2001. The veteran's claim was received on this date and thus no earlier effective date can be granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete notification and development needs.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and an increased rating for his left shoulder disability. The claim for hypertension was previously denied, and new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating it. For the left shoulder disability, the RO found that the current rating of 20% is the maximum available under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the current severity of his residuals of shrapnel wound to the right shoulder, including identifying the muscle group(s) involved and all resulting pathology.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current sinus, left knee, or left shoulder disorders for which service connection can be granted.

The Board denied compensation benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for osteomyelitis of the right tibia and left shoulder, finding no evidence linking the veteran's conditions to VA care.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have arthritis of the shoulders or back due to service, and therefore denied these claims.

The Board denied service connection for several conditions, including a right knee condition, left knee condition, skin condition of the heels, feet, and toes, right wrist condition, left shoulder condition, and arthritic gout of the left foot.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder in April 1987. The current appeal is to reopen this previously denied claim, and it remains pending.

The Board denied an increased rating for postoperative impingement of the left shoulder, finding that the current level of disability does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including verification of stressors and VA examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran currently has disabilities involving his right shoulder and knees, and whether these disabilities are related to service.

The veteran's service connection claim for an undifferentiated somatoform disorder and joint pain was granted, with a rating of 40 percent for herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine. The issue regarding joint pain remains unresolved.