Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, and his combined rating is less than 70% even when considering multiple conditions. The Director of Compensation Service determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for an extraschedular TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including anxiety, depression, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, upper and lower back spasms, right knee disability, left knee disability, and left foot disability. The reasons include a lack of service treatment records from the relevant periods.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining claims of service connection for left shoulder disability, eye disability, left wrist disability, asthma, and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right shoulder condition, finding that there is no evidence linking his current disability to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for seizure disability and an increased rating for left shoulder injury with impingement, as well as the TDIU claim due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's conditions over time.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for cataracts has been dismissed. Service connection for hemorrhoids, PTSD, and various other disabilities have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability. The claims for back, right hip, bilateral foot disabilities, and migraines are remanded due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The Veteran does not meet criteria for an increased rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder DJD was granted, with an effective date of January 29, 2021. The remaining issues regarding the hip disabilities were remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left shoulder and lumbosacral paravertebral myositis are remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The VA examiner is instructed to provide estimates of additional range of motion loss during flare-ups, as well as the degree at which pain begins.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, but the right shoulder and PFB issues are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.,Further development is needed to determine the etiology of the appellant's right shoulder disability and his current rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including his post-surgical condition, is currently rated at 20 percent and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new schedular criteria.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions. The VA examiners found that there was not substantial compliance with prior remand directives and need to provide updated opinions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability was granted an increased rating to 20 percent effective March 23, 2016. Prior to this date, the disability had been rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder melanoma, including consideration of his service treatment records and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder condition as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, finding that the current condition is proximately due to compensatory overuse of the left shoulder to protect against a right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, as well as right and left hip disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development, including obtaining the appellant's complete service personnel records and service treatment records, as well as any private treatment records or police records related to a claimed car accident. The appellant is also asked to provide specific details about the circumstances of the accident.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for clarification of an opinion from a previous VA examination regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder disability began during service or is related to an incident of service, including carrying his heavy gear while in service. The examiner should consider the Veteran's lay statements reporting shoulder pain since service and provide a new opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right shoulder bursitis, right ankle disability, low back disability, cervical spine disability, right hamstring tear, right metatarsal disability, sinusitis, and allergies with chronic hoarseness due to incomplete VA nexus opinion and need for further development.