Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for left shoulder disability and found that new evidence submitted since the April 2000 RO decision raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right shoulder disability, manifested by residuals of thoracic outlet syndrome, is due to a disease or injury incurred in service. However, there is no evidence of a current left shoulder disorder due to an event or incident in service.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his postoperative residuals arthroscopy of the left (minor) shoulder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from Dr. Rosen and scheduling a VA orthopedic examination.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip strain and denied service connection for the other conditions. The veteran's current diagnoses of right hip strain are supported by his in-service treatment records, which indicate recurrent right hip pain.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating were denied. The right shoulder disability claim is pending, the cervical spine disability issue was not addressed due to lack of timely notice of disagreement, and the hemorrhoids claim remains unresolved.

The Board determined that the veteran's left shoulder disability does not result in significant functional impairment, and thus denied her claim for an initial compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected low back strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease warrants a combined rating of 50 percent, but no higher.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues of service connection for residuals of a left shoulder injury and an increased rating for low back disability are also being addressed.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of the case under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b).

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including medical examinations and obtaining relevant treatment records.

The case is being remanded for further action due to the submission of additional medical evidence and because the veteran's substantive appeal constitutes a timely notice of disagreement with regard to the claim for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the left upper extremity.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a neck disorder and granted an increased evaluation for right shoulder subluxation and snapping. The left shoulder disability is not addressed in this decision.

The veteran's appeal is about the initial rating assigned for his right shoulder disability after service connection was granted. The RO needs to provide proper VCAA notice and complete any necessary development before deciding this case.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The VA found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for tinea versicolor, shell fragment wound of the left anterior chest wall, or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

The veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of multiple joints are denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation services, finding that he did not have an employment handicap and thus did not meet the eligibility criteria under Chapter 31 of Title 38.

The VA has determined that there is no evidence to support a current left shoulder disability and it was not incurred during service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for post-operative lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with laminectomy residuals, finding that the veteran's current condition is related to his inservice trauma. The issues of service connection for chronic hearing loss disability, a chronic shoulder disorder, and a chronic hip disorder are remanded for further development.