Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and skin disorder due to an undiagnosed illness. The case will be returned to the Board for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine arthritis, thoracolumbar spine arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right elbow arthritis, left elbow arthritis, right wrist arthritis, left wrist arthritis, right hip arthritis, and left hip arthritis have all been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (lumbosacral strain, left knee patellofemoral syndrome with arthritis, right knee patellofemoral syndrome with arthritis, and right shoulder limitation of motion) rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 30, 2011, to July 30, 2014.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30 percent, which reflects the severity of his symptoms including limited motion and pain.

The Veteran's appeals for left knee condition, hypertension, and left shoulder condition have been dismissed.,His appeal for service connection for left ear hearing loss has been denied. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a current diagnosis of hearing loss for VA purposes.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right shoulder disability from December 28, 2015, to July 31, 2016, and from October 1, 2016, to the present is being remanded due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous Board directives regarding obtaining the Veteran's VA vocational rehabilitation file.

The Veteran's left shoulder rotator cuff tear and labral tear are granted service connection, while bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Veteran's nevus and photophobia of the left eye are granted an initial 10 percent disability rating.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, left knee disability, and obstructive sleep apnea due to concerns about the competency of the VA examiner who conducted the March 2022 examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various joint and shoulder conditions due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran is also being asked to undergo examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his ankle, hip, and shoulder disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's cervical spine, left shoulder, and right elbow disabilities are being reviewed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including neck disability, bilateral shoulder and elbow disabilities, wrist disabilities, hip disabilities, carpal tunnel syndrome, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional service treatment records from October 1979 to July 2000 and request opinions on the nature and etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is remanded due to insufficient evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The case should be referred to the Director, Compensation and Pension Service, for consideration on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, and thus the Board is dismissing all issues on appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for left hand and wrist arthritis, as well as right hand and wrist arthritis, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability. The remaining issues of musculoskeletal and genitourinary disabilities have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to January 25, 2015. The Board found that the Veteran was able to perform light physical or sedentary work and had a stable income before his unemployment.

The Board denied an initial compensable rating for the Veteran's left shoulder disability prior to November 17, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple issues is remanded due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a torn labrum of the left shoulder, finding that there was no evidence to support his contention that he injured his shoulder during service or that it arose as a result of his service-connected carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of new evidence. The Board will evaluate all claims in light of the updated information.