Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating were denied. The claim to reopen the low back disorder was not successful, while her cervical spine disability remains rated at 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate reasons and bases in previous decisions, specifically regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disability and right shoulder disability are reopened, but the Board has remanded both issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for aortic stenosis and remanded the remaining issues due to incomplete records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder and knee disabilities are not related to his active service, including as residuals of a frostbite injury. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during or were otherwise caused by his military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent from January 30, 2014 to December 8, 2015. The Board has granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the period prior to December 8, 2015 and remanded the issues regarding entitlement to higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions provided are inadequate for determining whether service connection is warranted for various disorders. The claims are therefore being remanded to obtain new medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in multiple conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for a bilateral knee condition was denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received.,The Veteran's right shoulder condition is remanded, as the Board found there may be an association with his service-connected left shoulder condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam service.,His left forearm, shoulder, and back disabilities are not found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fatigue is granted as it is secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The claims for alopecia, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder disability is related to service, including exposure in Southwest Asia. The appeal will be adjudicated again after this additional examination.

The Board has determined that additional evidence must be reviewed by the AOJ before a final decision can be made on the claims. The Veteran's service connection requests for various conditions are being remanded to allow for further development and consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder is reopened, and he is granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine.,The Veteran's right shoulder subacromial impingement syndrome with SLAP labral tear and degenerative arthritis is rated at 20 percent. The Veteran is also granted a separate 10 percent rating for instability of the right knee effective April 30, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a right shoulder disorder, back disorder, bilateral leg disorder, bilateral foot disorder, and chest disorder. The VA is directed to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder condition, finding that his current condition is due to a dislocation injury sustained during active military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left shoulder conditions. The Veteran is seeking service connection for her diagnosed shoulder disorders, which include impingement and degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to address the nature and etiology of his left shoulder disorder and the current severity of his thoracolumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, including PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including dementia), diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, hypertension, a heart disorder (coronary artery disease, status post stent placement), a circulatory disorder, bilateral eye disorders (right eye blindness, double vision in the left eye, cataracts), lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of each extremity, radiculopathy of each extremity, and myelomalacia. The Board found that there was no evidence to support these claims.,The Veteran's service connection claims were denied for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (including dementia), diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, hypertension, a heart disorder (coronary artery disease, status post stent placement), a circulatory disorder, bilateral eye disorders (right eye blindness, double vision in the left eye, cataracts), lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, peripheral neuropathy of each extremity, radiculopathy of each extremity, and myelomalacia.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran, including his testimony at a hearing and a medical opinion from a VA provider. The RO is instructed to obtain additional STRs and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his current shoulder conditions.