Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's left shoulder DJD was granted an initial disability rating of 20 percent prior to December 4, 2019. A higher rating is denied from that date forward. The Veteran's cervical spine DJD is not addressed in the decision.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's disabilities, including ratings for posttraumatic headaches, right shoulder strain, and left ankle fracture with atrophy. The appeals are now pending again due to a missing copy of the Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board denied service connection for lower back, right knee (including degenerative arthritis), left knee, neck, right shoulder, and left ankle disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was not granted as the VA medical opinions found no link between current disabilities and in-service injuries.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and a temporary total disability rating for his left shoulder disabilities have been denied due to failure to appear for scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability have been granted service connection.,Service connection for the Veteran's left lung disorder and left ankle disorder is remanded due to additional evidence needing consideration.

The Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, chronic chest wall pain, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability are all found to be related to her period of active service.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, chronic chest wall pain, left ankle disability, and right ankle disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed because he now has a combined 100% schedular rating for his service-connected conditions, including PTSD and bilateral shoulder arthritis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 and TDIU are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including failure to obtain relevant treatment records and provide an adequate examination.

The Board dismissed the appeal for an increased rating of a right shoulder disability as the appellant withdrew his appeals prior to decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including its relationship to service and any aggravation by service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and an addendum opinion to determine if the Veteran's current shoulder disabilities are related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's headaches are aggravated by his service-connected shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient opinions in the previous examination and a need to expand the claim to include a right shoulder condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's bilateral shoulder conditions, finding that reasonable doubt should be resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development to obtain private and VA treatment records, including from Irvin Health Services. The Veteran's right shoulder and neck disabilities are being evaluated based on their direct relationship to service without any presumption or secondary connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional medical opinions regarding his service connection claims, including the need to obtain VA and private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability and bilateral shoulder disabilities due to deficiencies in the VA examinations. The new addendums are required to consider the Veteran's self-reported history of disability, including rheumatoid arthritis, and address its impact on her current conditions.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on current evidence of record.,The Veteran's scars are currently rated as noncompensable. The Board finds that given the presence of multiple scars with pigmentation problems, a compensable rating (10%) for one characteristic of disfigurement is warranted.

The Veteran's left knee instability is rated at 10 percent, but no higher, since December 20, 2013.,TDIU was granted from April 1, 2017, to September 12, 2017.