Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right shoulder injury residuals, finding that they meet the criteria for severe impairment in Muscle Group IV.

The veteran's injuries were not caused by VA hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, and the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. section 1151 is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's right shoulder disability, which is rated as 20 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5201, does not warrant a higher rating based on his symptoms and examination findings.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disability did not begin during his period of honorable service from April 1981 to April 1986, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for PTSD, arthritis of the right hand, hypertension, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, or left ankle disability.,An additional VA examination may be necessary to address the etiology of the veteran's hypertension.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of the left hand. The only evidence showing any issue with his left hand is subjective reports of pain, which do not constitute a disability for service connection purposes.,The VA examiner found no evidence to suggest that the veteran's cervical spine and right shoulder conditions had their onset during service. Instead, they were attributed to post-service work-related activities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for extension of a temporary total disability rating, reduction in his disability rating, and increased rating for his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for a gunshot wound of the right shoulder with residual traumatic arthritis and loss of motion is being remanded due to additional evidence received since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The veteran's service-connected low back and right shoulder disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from January 28, 2004, through March 2005.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for a rotator cuff tear, right shoulder as secondary to his service-connected gunshot wound. The VA will schedule an examination and provide a medical opinion regarding whether the current condition is related to his service-connected injury.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current back disability and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral leg disability, right shoulder disability, and left knee scar due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of arthritis or musculoskeletal disorders during service, and the VA examiner's opinions did not support a link between current conditions and service. The veteran's complaints are attributed to aging rather than service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were not adjudicated before his death, and the RO denied them. The veteran was service connected for a right upper extremity disability with a current rating of 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the service-connected PTSD did not substantially or materially contribute to the cause of the veteran's death. The VA and private medical records do not show a causal link between the veteran's PTSD and his cardiovascular disease, which was found to be caused by other risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obesity.

The Board granted a higher initial evaluation of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with degenerative joint disease from January 17, 2001 to November 6, 2005. From November 7, 2005, the rating was increased to 30 percent. The claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions was denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to his military service.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for a stomach disorder has been withdrawn. The remaining issues of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for low back, left shoulder, and right hip disorders are remanded.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a right shoulder disability, and thus service connection is denied. The issues of an increased rating for allergic rhinitis and residuals of a right meniscus tear and repair are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board found that the veteran did not have an employment handicap and thus, basic entitlement to vocational rehabilitation training was denied.