Shoulder decisions — 2021

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, thus denying his claim for a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding service connection and aggravation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities, hypertension, heart condition, and dyslexia (claimed as secondary to a service-connected head injury).

The Veteran's fibromyalgia with headaches was granted a 40% rating for the entire period on appeal. The TDIU claim prior to February 28, 2011 is also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right ankle and bilateral knee osteoarthritis, did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board denied the TDIU claim as the evidence does not support that any of the service-connected disabilities alone or in combination prevented him from obtaining employment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection due to additional evidence and need for updated examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for headaches, back condition, neck condition, and left shoulder condition as there is no evidence of chronicity in service or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral strain, left and right radiculopathy, dorsal spine compression fraction, right shoulder tendonitis with impingement and osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability has also been granted.,A remand was ordered to address the issue of service connection for a shoulder disability.

The Veteran's initial claim of a higher rating for left shoulder impingement syndrome was withdrawn. The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine degenerative disc disease, finding that he did not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder and low back disabilities, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). The Veteran's service records need to be obtained and added to the claims file.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability during the period from February 25, 2015 to December 20, 2017.

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

The Board denied service connection for chronic left shoulder and left hand disorders, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's right shoulder condition was rated at 10 percent prior to March 15, 2016. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to lack of limitation of motion.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and analysis. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for service connection related to left shoulder, back, hearing loss, tinnitus, right-hand disability, and acquired psychiatric disabilities (including PTSD and depression) are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The VA is required to provide a medical examination or obtain an opinion if it is necessary to make a decision on these claims.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for hearing loss and a right shoulder condition as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to issuance of a decision.

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims due to the need for further development and examination. The issues include cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, and knee disabilities; TBI, sleep disorder, memory loss, cognitive problems, headaches, mood swings, and concentration/decreased focus issues.