Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's back, psychiatric disabilities, hip, shoulder, knee, and other conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, coronary artery disease (claimed as a heart condition), diabetes mellitus, type II, kidney disability, cervical spine disability, back disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, left foot disability, and right knee disability. The Board found no evidence of in-service onset or relationship to service for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation due to inconsistencies in medical evidence regarding the Veteran's left shoulder and back disabilities, as well as issues related to TDIU prior to May 31, 2022.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's vertigo claim cannot be granted as there is no confirmed diagnosis of vertigo. The respiratory, left knee, right knee, and right shoulder disability claims are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals regarding the effective dates and disability ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral flatfoot, and left shoulder strain have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder disability was denied, and the issue of TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for neck and shoulder disabilities, as well as increased ratings for lumbar spine disability and associated lower extremity radiculopathy conditions. Additional development is required to obtain SSA records and provide adequate medical opinions addressing relevant lay, medical, and SSA evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bilateral shoulder arthritis, residuals of a right mastectomy, left lipoma removal, and left breast reduction due to lack of evidence showing that VA negligence caused or contributed to her condition.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and right shoulder disability, as well as his TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities. The reasons include failure to attend scheduled VA examinations and lack of sufficient information regarding current severity of the disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability did not meet or approximate criteria for higher staged ratings prior to July 19, 2022. The current assigned ratings of 30 percent are considered appropriate based on the evidence provided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of shoulder or knee disorders, and his skin disease or colon polyps are not related to service. The claims for these conditions are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding whether his joint pain is due to an undiagnosed illness or environmental exposure during service and whether he has a medically unexplained multisymptom illness (MUCMI).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation as he was continually employed full-time, his earnings were above the poverty threshold, and he was not employed in a protected environment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,Service connection has been established for allergic rhinitis.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for osteoarthritis of the bilateral shoulders and coronary artery disease have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and PTSD.

The Board has remanded the claim for a right shoulder disability due to incomplete compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's VA Vocational Rehabilitation file needs to be obtained and reviewed by an examiner.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from April 16, 2013 to December 31, 2014.,TDIU was denied for the period January 1, 2015 to August 7, 2015 due to substantially gainful income.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a right shoulder condition due to conflicting medical evidence and the need for additional clinical imaging.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for joint pain, finding that his symptoms were not related to his military service and attributing them to diagnosed conditions.