Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Board has denied service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right elbow, and left elbow disabilities as they are not related to service or an undiagnosed illness.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, left shoulder, right shoulder, left wrist, and right wrist disorders are remanded due to the need for additional development of his treatment records from Community Care providers.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot and right foot disorders are remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion addressing whether these disabilities are related to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder, including sleep apnea, is remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion addressing whether this disability is related to service or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and head injury (claimed as CTE) are remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion addressing whether these disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial disability ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evidence collection.

The Veteran's hypertension was not found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,The Veteran's scars of the wrists, knees, and left shoulder were not found to meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right shoulder and low back disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's statements about injuries in service are considered true.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and lumbar spine disabilities due to a lack of credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II has been withdrawn.,The Board is remanding the claims of service connection for a neck disability, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity (RUE), headaches (claimed as cephalgia), erectile dysfunction (ED), and intestinal disability due to exposure to contaminated waters at Camp Lejeune. The VA will provide additional examinations and obtain medical opinions regarding these issues.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a total abdominal colectomy with end ileostomy and Hartman's pouch (intestinal disability) is remanded, as the Veteran has not been provided a VA examination to assess this condition.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder. The case is now remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluations are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical neck disability, left shoulder disability, lumbar disability, right lower extremity disability, and left lower extremity disability due to incomplete examinations and lack of military personnel records. Additional evidence is needed before a determination can be made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral flat feet and plantar fasciitis, right or left ear disorder (to include hearing loss and hyperacusis), right ankle disability, left ankle disability, left carpal tunnel syndrome, right carpal tunnel syndrome, right shoulder disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his right shoulder disorder, upper body disorder (left shoulder disorder), chronic low back strain, and TDIU on an extra-schedular basis prior to May 28, 2015. The claims are being remanded due to lack of VA examinations in connection with these issues.

The Veteran's prostate condition is granted as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.,The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disabilities are denied as not related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the severity of the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including recurrent dislocation and guarding of movement. The Veteran will need a new examination to provide this information.

The Veteran's left shoulder shell fragment wounds are currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted. The scars of his mid back and lower back have been rated as 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not caused by an in-service injury. The appeal was reopened due to new and material evidence submitted since the previous denial.

The Board has remanded the issues for further consideration due to inadequate examinations and lack of records from 2018.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for high blood pressure and HIV, finding no evidence of their onset in service or a link to service. The claim for prostate cancer is remanded due to inadequate examination.,Service connection for prostate cancer will be granted based on exposure to asbestos during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding in-service exposure to herbicide agents and the need for additional medical opinions on various musculoskeletal conditions, liver condition, bladder cancer, chronic kidney disease, respiratory condition, and colon condition.

The Veteran's claims for left shoulder disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral knee disorder have been denied.,Service connection has not been established for any of these conditions.