Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic left shoulder disability and left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome due to insufficient medical opinion regarding their etiology. The case will be returned to VA for further development.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for right shoulder tendinitis and DDD of the thoracolumbar spine have been dismissed as he requested to cancel his scheduled Board hearing and withdraw his appeals.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including testicular, bladder, erectile dysfunction, shoulder, and radiculopathy. The VA will obtain all relevant records and schedule a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to address the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings due to new evidence and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his right shoulder disability and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations. The Board requires another VA examination to address the Veteran's pain levels and functional loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and right shoulder disability have been granted service connection. An initial 40 percent rating for the right shoulder disability is granted from February 3, 2021 to the present.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete findings of a previous VA examination and the need for an updated examination to determine the etiology of any right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left shoulder, bilateral knee, and bilateral foot disabilities due to parachute jumps in service. The case will be returned after obtaining relevant VA treatment records and conducting new examinations.

The Veteran's claim for increased rating of his service-connected back disability was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and thus, the application to reopen the previously denied heart condition claim is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches has been granted. The Board finds that the Veteran experienced chronic symptoms of migraines since her separation from service, and there is sufficient evidence to establish continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, right knee disability, left knee disability, and other conditions. The appeals are now remanded to determine whether service connection can be established.

The Veteran's left shoulder and cervical spine disabilities are granted as service connected, with onset in active service.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder condition, finding that the evidence does not show it had its onset during active service or is otherwise related to service. The examiner opined that the current right shoulder condition is unrelated to any in-service injury and is more likely due to a motor vehicle accident.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle, shoulder, and arm conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining missing VA treatment records and providing etiology opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various knee and hand disorders due to incomplete records. The Veteran's VA examinations, pain management records, inpatient records, and neurosurgery records need to be associated with the file.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were partially granted. Service connection was established for mononeuropathy due to impingement in the left arm/shoulder, but his requests for higher ratings on residuals of labral tear with arthritis and recurrent dislocation in the shoulder were denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate examination reports from previous VA examinations. The Veteran seeks higher disability ratings for his right shoulder and knee disabilities, but these issues were previously addressed in a January 2021 remand.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inconsistencies in the opinions provided by a nurse practitioner regarding the Veteran's flare-ups and their impact on disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities. The Veteran's hearing loss is denied as not related to noise exposure in service.