Shoulder decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including obtaining service records and conducting examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder condition is related to his military service. The examiner must provide a detailed opinion on this issue.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grants due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a left ankle disability and remanded all other issues on appeal due to the need for additional development of the Veteran's service treatment records.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for right shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities, as the previous examinations did not fully consider his statements regarding in-service injuries and ongoing pain.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and continues thereafter, granting service connection.,The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is found to have resulted from an in-service injury, granting service connection.,The Veteran's neurological condition of the bilateral feet and/or cold injury residuals are remanded for further examination.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including blindness, glaucoma, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder pain, elbow and wrist swelling, toe numbness, leg numbness, jaw joint pain, hip joint swelling, knee and ankle pain, bilateral pes planus, foot bunions, rib fracture discomfort, hand weakness, left hand swelling, tonsillitis, dizzy spells, fatigue, pharyngitis, allergy disorder, breathing disorder, sleep apnea, heart condition, ulcer, gastritis, gastrointestinal problems, GERD, kidney disorder, lipoma, obesity, arm numbness and pain, and finger numbness. The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for these conditions.,The Veteran's TBI claim is also denied as there was no in-service head injury or related condition.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of severe limitation of motion.,For his right knee disability prior to October 1, 2018 (excluding a temporary total evaluation from August 28, 2017, to September 30, 2018), the Veteran's disability rating is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's right knee disability was rated at 60 percent effective October 1, 2018 and remains at that level. The Board finds no basis to grant a higher rating based on evidence of severe painful motion or weakness.

An initial 10 percent rating is granted for left elbow strain, effective July 31, 2017.,Service connection is granted for right shoulder and right elbow strains.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has ordered a remand to determine if a higher rating is warranted based on additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder arthritis is related to an in-service injury and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need to consider a separate compensable rating for recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder. The Board will also reconcile its findings with Diagnostic Code 5203, which addresses impairment of the clavicle and/or scapula.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability, including aggravation of a pre-existing condition, did not undergo an increase in severity beyond its natural progression during or as a result of active service or his service-connected left shoulder disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder, elbow, and knee conditions due to additional evidence being added to the record since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has remanded the claim for TDIU due to a failure to comply with previous directives and because of inconsistencies in the rating decisions. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically his right knee and left shoulder disabilities, prevented him from working since March 2014.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right ulnar neuropathy, degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, and residuals of a right wrist fracture are denied. The Board has remanded these issues.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU for right shoulder disability were denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's acne and dermatitis of the face, chest, shoulders, and upper back were rated at a 10% from June 7, 2018 to November 20, 2018. From November 20, 2018 onwards, he is not entitled to any compensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder impingement was denied. The TDIU claim prior to March 5, 2020 was also denied. However, from July 1, 2020 onwards, the Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's left shoulder internal derangement with degenerative arthritis was granted a 30% rating effective July 24, 2017. The earlier effective date for the right upper extremity radiculopathy and left upper extremity radiculopathy claims is being remanded.