Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions on whether service-connected psychiatric disability caused or aggravated the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's left shoulder, left knee, and left arm disabilities are not service-connected as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The decision is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in a combined rating of 100 percent prior to November 13, 2017. However, the Board finds that his single disability rated at 100 percent does not render him unemployable due to these conditions alone.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has ordered a VA examination to address the etiology of his psychiatric disorder. The issues of right shoulder, left shoulder, right arm, left arm, right hip, and left hip degenerative arthritis are also remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lumbosacral strain and for right shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to potential issues with the Veteran's death. The cases will be returned to the Board once it is confirmed whether the Veteran is deceased.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for left shoulder disability and TDIU are remanded due to the need for a new examination, as well as obtaining additional medical records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a compensable disability evaluation for left shoulder scars associated with chronic left shoulder strain have been denied. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to higher evaluations for chronic left shoulder strain, recurrent subluxation of scapulohumeral joint, and extension of temporary total disability evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder condition, finding no link between his current condition and any in-service event.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's complete service treatment records and personnel records, as well as his VA treatment records from Las Vegas. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his residual scars due to shell fragment wounds on the left scapular area and right shoulder and thorax, as they were not adequately addressed in the previous decision.

The Veteran's claims for right and left ear hearing loss, memory loss disorder, gastrointestinal disorder (GERD), and bilateral shoulder strain have been denied. However, service connection has been granted for right and left shoulder strain.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various shoulder and spine disabilities, as well as a knee disability, due to inadequate medical opinions regarding secondary causation. The VA is instructed to obtain new addendum opinions from an appropriate examiner.

The Veteran's cervical spine, low back, right knee, left knee, and right shoulder disabilities are being remanded for further development.,New evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for service connection of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left shoulder disability has been dismissed. The Board also remanded several other claims related to various disabilities.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding the reduction of his service-connected right shoulder strain with arthritis rating from 30 percent to 20 percent effective August 28, 2017. The Board has dismissed this appeal.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical degenerative disc disease, right arm and shoulder disability, and left arm and thumb disability due to new evidence that may be relevant to his service connection claims.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder rotator cuff impingement syndrome due to previous remands and the need for updated medical examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, left knee, and back disabilities due to inadequate examination reports. Additional examinations are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent prior to August 12, 2021.,From August 12, 2021 to February 22, 2022, the Veteran received a 30 percent rating for his right shoulder condition.,After February 22, 2022, the Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 30 percent.

The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities and lumbar spine disability were not shown to warrant higher ratings prior to the effective dates of May 14, 2012, for the bilateral shoulders and January 9, 2013, for the lumbar spine.,Effective dates earlier than these dates are denied as there is no evidence that the disabilities warranted such increased ratings within one year prior to those dates.