Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, sleep apnea, hypertension (claimed as light-headedness), and loss of memory. The case is therefore REMANDED.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee and right shoulder conditions due to inadequate examination reports and failure to address relevant evidence. The Veteran will need a new VA examination to determine if his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated as noncompensable. The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination to determine if any of the Veteran's conditions are related to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for generalized arthralgias in the shoulders, elbows, knees, hands, thumbs, and lumbar spine is being remanded due to his failure to attend a scheduled VA examination. The Board will schedule another VA examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for a right shoulder disability due to incomplete information and lack of access to records regarding surgical procedures. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left thumb, a left shoulder condition, and ulnar neuropathy of the left elbow. The evidence did not support the Veteran's assertions that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service injuries.,Service treatment records showed no complaints or abnormalities of the left hand or shoulder during military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including recurrent dislocation and multiple surgeries, is currently rated at 60 percent. The appeal for a higher rating has been denied.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 16, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various shoulder, hip, and knee disabilities due to insufficient medical evidence to decide the claim. The Veteran contends that these conditions are related to his in-service cook duties and/or secondary to his service-connected thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis with back muscle spasms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder condition is granted. The Board also remanded the cases for further examination and rating considerations regarding his bilateral hearing loss and allergic rhinitis.

The Board has decided to remand the claim for Total Disability Evaluation Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities. Additional development is needed, including obtaining military personnel records, SSA disability claim information, and Veteran Readiness and Employment Service benefits records.

The Veteran's ratings for arthritis of the right and left shoulders have been granted, with a rating in excess of 20 percent denied. Other issues on appeal are either remanded or dismissed.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining a retrospective medical opinion and adjudicating the issue of entitlement to a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right and left knee disabilities, as well as his left shoulder disability due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was not received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee, shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and pes planus disorders. The previous denials were based on a lack of current disabilities related to military service.

The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any left or right shoulder conditions, as there are no current diagnoses for the left shoulder condition. The Veteran's active service may be associated with his bilateral shoulder pain.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the Veteran's shoulder, back, and wrist disabilities are inadequate due to their age. The Board also notes that recent evidence indicates the Veteran's conditions have worsened. Therefore, the claims are being remanded for new evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and a lumbar spine condition have been remanded due to the need for additional development. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, is also being remanded.,New evidence has not yet been submitted in support of these claims.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for back and right shoulder disabilities due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims are now remanded for further examination and determination.