Shoulder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's asthma, eczema, migraine headaches and right shoulder tendonitis are remanded for further examination. The service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded due to the need for a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a right knee disorder is granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to higher ratings for left shoulder disability, right elbow disorder, and sleep apnea.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of his claimed low back, right hip, left hip, right knee, left knee, right shoulder, and left shoulder conditions. The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service injury or aggravation leading to these current disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a right hand disorder, finding that the disorders were not incurred in or related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder strain, finding that it is related to his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was previously remanded for further development. The March 2021 VA examination did not comply with the Board's directives and failed to provide necessary range of motion testing results, thus necessitating a new examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives, including scheduling VA examinations for the Veteran's right shoulder and bilateral knee disorders.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including panic disorder with agoraphobia and major depressive disorder, GERD, bilateral plantar fasciitis, diabetes mellitus, type II, patellofemoral syndrome with degenerative changes in the right knee, residuals of left ankle injury, residuals of right ankle injury, post-operative chronic subacromial impingement with degenerative changes (right rotator cuff tear/impediment), tinnitus, and others, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 28, 2016. From July 28, 2016, the claim is dismissed as moot due to his combined disability rating of 100 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sleep disorder, arches disability, right shoulder disability, hypertension, cervical spine disability, left knee disability (knee strain), and headaches have all been denied. The Board found no current disabilities related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right shoulder disorder, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury in 2003.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and major depressive disorder, as well as a right shoulder disability. The evidence shows these conditions began during the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including right knee, back, right shoulder, and left shoulder disabilities. The main reasons are the need for additional development of records from Patterson Army Community Hospital and VA treatment records, as well as a need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his left shoulder disorder is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including examinations and consideration of new evidence. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include L4-L5 space narrowing degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, traumatic arthritis of the right shoulder, left knee disability, and ankle disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right and left knee disorders, right shoulder impingement syndrome, left shoulder osteoarthritis, foot fungus (onychomycosis), PTSD with depressive disorder, lumbar strain prior to June 30, 2016, and bilateral hearing loss.,The Board also remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of sleep apnea secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension and his rating appeal for right shoulder tendinopathy with degenerative joint disease were both denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a diagnosis of hypertension during service, and also found no evidence of ankylosis or other disabling conditions in his right shoulder.

The Board has denied service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities as they are not related to the Veteran's service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's residuals of left hip, shoulder, and knee injuries due to in-service trauma. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's bilateral breast calcification, claimed as fibrocystic breast disability, is granted service connection. The issues of hypertension, urinary hesitancy, ovarian cyst disability, TMJ disorder, and other disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in an inability to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, so his claim for total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.