Shoulder decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure. However, the Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, concluding there was no evidence of a current disability and attributing any pain to post-service occupational activities.

The Veteran withdrew all his appeals, including those related to higher ratings for sciatica and lumbosacral spondylolisthesis with IVDS, an increased rating for right shoulder impingement syndrome, a TDIU effective date earlier than August 25, 2011, service connection for tinnitus, and hearing loss. The Board dismissed the appeal due to withdrawal.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The claims for neck, right ankle, left ankle, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities are remanded due to the need for additional development. The claim of skin disability of the hands is also remanded. The loss of sense of smell claim requires further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, as the provided VA opinions are insufficient to decide the claims. The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, bilateral shoulder disorders, and migraine headaches will be reconsidered after a new examination is conducted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations. The issues of entitlement to service connection for allergic rhinitis, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, low back disability, and left knee disability are all being remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, neck condition, low back condition, and left shoulder condition due to insufficient evidence of current disabilities or connections to service.

The Board has granted a compensable evaluation for the right shoulder scar and has remanded cases involving asthma and sinusitis or rhinitis due to lack of medical opinion on their etiology.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a pulmonary lung disorder, bilateral shoulder osteoarthritis, and thoracolumbar spine osteoarthritis have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran has these conditions as part of his already service-connected generalized arthritic process.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating of her left shoulder disability status post rotator cuff tear was denied as the evidence did not show limitation of motion to 25 degrees from side, which would warrant a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability and a cervical spine disability due to insufficient evidence. The claims are currently pending.

The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 5203. The Board denied an increased rating as the Veteran refused to undergo range of motion testing during his VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence, including VA and private treatment records, as well as military medical records from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana.

The Veteran's partial tear of the biceps tendon of the right shoulder has been rated at 20 percent since its initial grant, with limitation of motion at shoulder level.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate nexus opinions and incomplete STRs. The Veteran's shoulder disabilities are being evaluated further.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions in the VA examinations. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder, ulcerative colitis, and liver disorder are all being reviewed again.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder condition was previously denied in January 2013. The evidence received since that decision is considered new and material, allowing the claim to be reopened. However, the case is remanded for further examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for higher evaluations of his cervical spine, right shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations. His anxiety disability is also being remanded as there was insufficient information provided by the examiner regarding its severity.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being remanded for a new examination to assess the severity of his condition, as the previous examination did not adequately address flare-ups and repetitive use over time. The TDIU claim is also being remanded due to the interrelated nature with the rating claims.

The Veteran's TDIU is based on multiple service-connected disorders, with at least one disability rated at 40 percent or more. The combined rating does not meet the minimum schedular requirement for a TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). Therefore, SMC based on housebound status is denied.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was previously rated at 20% prior to October 12, 2016 and denied an increased rating. Since December 1, 2017, the Veteran's condition has been rated at 60%, but he is still denied a higher rating.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.