Shoulder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's bilateral hip disorder and left shoulder disorder are dismissed as the appellant withdrew his claim. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder is granted service connection as secondary to a service-connected bilateral knee disability. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a failure to discuss whether the Veteran's shoulder bursitis qualifies as a medically unexplained chronic multisymptomatic illness (MUCMI). The case is now pending for further examination and review.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is considered to have started during his military service and has continued since then. The Board found the Veteran's testimony credible, granting service connection for his right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was manifested by flexion to no worse than 130 degrees, abduction to no worse than 110 degrees, with no evidence of ankylosis, impairment of the clavicle or scapula, or impairment of the humerus. As a result, his claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to May 17, 2019 was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right shoulder disability and an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran will need to undergo further examination to determine the nature and etiology of her disabilities, including during flare-ups.

The Board has denied service connection for warts of the right elbow, left elbow, left shoulder, and right shoulder. The Veteran's warts are not considered to have begun during active service or be related to an in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for bilateral open angle glaucoma and hypertension is also denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including TBI residuals, Chronic Pain Disorder, Headache Disorder, and Right Shoulder Arthritis as secondary to the service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), were denied. The Board found that there was no current disability related to these conditions at any time during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The right shoulder, low back, left knee, and left ankle disabilities are all found to be related to her service-connected right knee disabilities.,The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The right shoulder, low back, left knee, and left ankle disabilities are all found to be related to her service-connected right knee disabilities.

The Veteran's left knee and right shoulder disabilities were evaluated, with some granted ratings and others denied. The decision on the right shoulder condition is mixed due to a separate grant for recurrent subluxation.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The left eye injury and left shoulder rotator cuff disability are not rated higher than the current levels, while service connection for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD is also denied.

The Board has remanded the claim for a new examination to address the Veteran's statements regarding increased symptoms in his right shoulder due to overcompensation of his service-connected left shoulder.

The Veteran's appeal for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, or adaptive equipment only is denied due to his service-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria. The claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound is remanded as VA medical records from November 2015 to the present are needed.

The Veteran's service connection claim for the residuals of an injury to his left upper extremity, including a left shoulder, left elbow, and left wrist disability, is granted. The Board found that the Veteran has current residuals from an in-service injury and established a link between the current disability and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development and clarification of evidence.,Specifically, additional medical opinions are required regarding the etiology of various conditions including cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal degenerative disc disease, right shoulder disorder, right hip disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, fibromyalgia (Gulf War Illness), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (Gulf War Illness), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (Gulf War Illness), and migraine headaches.

The Veteran's initial requests for higher ratings for his left and right knee disabilities, migraine headaches, lumbar spine disability, sinusitis, and psychiatric disability have been denied.,For the period prior to May 27, 2021, the Veteran's migraine headaches were rated at 30% effective from September 16, 2013.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a right shoulder disability, and a left shoulder disability (secondary to the right shoulder).

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent since January 8, 2016. The Board found that the Veteran's range of motion most closely approximates a limitation midway between his side and shoulder level.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder and lower back disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected tension headaches and left shoulder disability are granted with increased evaluations of 50 percent each.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding various service connection claims, including for bilateral hearing loss, left arm condition, lumbar strain, left knee condition, left ankle condition, plantar fasciitis, anxiety condition, migraine headaches, jaw condition, lung condition, bronchitis, pneumonia, cervical strain, right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, right arm condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, kidney stones, right hip condition, left hip condition, and right ankle condition. The appeals were dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claims.