Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for right and left shoulder disorders due to a lack of competent medical evidence establishing a nexus between his current shoulder conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and irritable colon syndrome, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under either the old or new VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection, finding that her right shoulder, left leg, allergic rhinitis with asthma, migraine headaches, and right knee disabilities did not warrant higher ratings. The decision also found no merit in her claim for service connection for pregnancy and tubal ligation.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not incur a bilateral shoulder disability as a result of active service. The claims for respiratory disorder, arthritis of the right knee, and gastrointestinal disorder have been reopened due to new evidence submitted since the previous final decision but remain denied.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the service-connected right shoulder disability and denied an increased rating for the left knee injury.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic right shoulder disability is not related to his service, including as a prisoner of war (POW), and therefore denied the claim.

The VA has granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's osteomyelitis of the left shoulder, which is rated under Diagnostic Code 5201. The condition limits motion to shoulder level.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, except for right ischial tuberosity bursitis. The other conditions were either not shown in service or are not related to service.

The Board denied an increased rating for service-connected recurrent dislocation of the right shoulder due to the veteran's failure to report for necessary VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for additional testing, including an EMG.

The Board is remanding the case to determine the earliest date on which it was shown that the veteran had traumatic arthritis of the right shoulder, and to consider whether additional evidence should be obtained.

The veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities, including a psychiatric disorder, low back disorder, neck disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and right shoulder disorder, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left shoulder disability is service-connected, with no specific rating assigned and no effective date provided.

The veteran's service-connected conditions did not contribute substantially to his death. The appellant is therefore denied DIC benefits and the other claims.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for right shoulder disability due to new and material evidence submitted since the April 1998 denial. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right shoulder and denied entitlement to a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence does not support a higher rating at any time from February 24, 1996 to date.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, consistent with his education and previous work experience. Therefore, the appeal for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current left shoulder disability is related to an incident during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted a 20% evaluation for the veteran's right shoulder impairment, finding that there are multiple dislocations of the clavicle or scapula. The evidence shows current and contemporaneous evidence of a compensable right shoulder impairment.