Shoulder decisions — 2021

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings on several disabilities have been remanded due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left shoulder disability and sleep disturbance due to inadequate examination findings. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to address his claimed symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional evidence being added to the claims file and outstanding Privacy Act requests. The Veteran's right shoulder disability claim for increased ratings is pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.,The Board is requesting further evidence and examination to determine the nature, onset, and etiology of his left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under current VA regulations. The Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating as they did not meet the criteria for limitation of motion to midway between side and shoulder.

The Veteran's right shoulder DJD and fractures to the right tibia and fibula have been rated, with a separate rating for instability of the right tibia and fibula. The initial rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder DJD is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities were granted, but an effective date earlier than January 13, 2017 is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for immunoglobulin A nephropathy as secondary to asthma, but denied service connection for right and left shoulder disorders.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 40 percent, effective throughout the appeal period. The Veteran's scarring of bilateral feet warrants a 20 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that he is capable of performing the physical and mental acts required by employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder/arm disability, right shoulder/arm disability, left foot/ankle disability, and right foot/ankle disability are being remanded. The examiner must consider exposure to toxins in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations as well as whether any of his claimed disabilities are unexplained illnesses or MUCMIs.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ear pain, sinusitis, lung mass, and pneumonia are being remanded. The examiner must consider whether these symptoms are related to his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations, including consideration of whether they are undiagnosed illnesses or MUCMIs (including fibromyalgia).,The Veteran's claims for service connection for an enlarged heart, hematochezia, and colon polyps are being remanded. The examiner must consider whether these conditions began during or are related to his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for thalassemia is being remanded. The examiner must determine if the condition is a congenital defect or disease and whether it was incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder condition is not proximately due to or the result of his left foot condition, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has found that there were pre-decisional duty to assist errors and a remand is required for the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for trouble sleeping, left shoulder pain, and left wrist pain. The VA was not able to obtain relevant private treatment records due to lack of notification or follow-up.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for left and right shoulder conditions due to insufficient medical opinion in the original decision.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's right shoulder condition, including a lack of an examination and consideration of his service-connected cervical spine and lumbar spine conditions. The claim will be reconsidered with additional medical evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active duty service.

The Board has found that additional evidence is needed to determine the etiology of the veteran's claimed disabilities, and thus remands the cases for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to show he was unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left shoulder disability and painful facial scars, as well as her TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities. The cases are being returned for further examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical examination and opinion, requiring a new examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's right shoulder disability.