Shoulder decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has remanded them for further development.

The Veteran's use of a wheelchair and forearm crutches for service-connected disabilities is granted as a clothing allowance for 2018. The use of a urine bag does not meet the criteria for a clothing allowance.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder strain but denied service connection for hypothyroidism. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the remaining issues.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder, finding that the current condition is not related to service and does not qualify as an undiagnosed illness or MUCMI.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The issues include a low back disability, dermatitis, left shoulder disability, upper extremity pain and numbness (to include gout), lower extremity pain and numbness (to include gout and radiculopathy), and a left knee disability.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ratings for mast cell activation syndrome, bilateral foot disability, lumbar spine disability, right elbow and shoulder disabilities, scars, gastroesophageal reflux disease with hiatal hernia, and hemorrhoids. The decision also includes a request for additional evidence from VA and private sources.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a left hip disorder was dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal at a hearing. The claims of entitlement to initial compensable ratings for chronic sinusitis, left knee strain, and residuals of right knee injury with degenerative joint disease are remanded. Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, left shoulder disorder, arachnoid cyst in the right middle cranial fossa, and an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine strain and other service connection issues due to new evidence received since the last decision. The case will be returned to the AOJ for review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and left shoulder status post cyst excision scar, as well as his claim for a rating increase for sinusitis.,Service connection was denied for tinnitus due to lack of evidence showing its onset during service or being related to military noise exposure. Service connection was also denied for the left shoulder scar because there is no current diagnosis.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, as he testified that it has worsened.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives and the need for additional medical opinions regarding range of motion testing and flare-ups.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection. The Veteran's claims for neck disability, head injury residuals, shoulder disabilities, and headaches are being reviewed again as the VA examiners did not consider the lay evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and lack of development regarding exposure to chemical, biological, or radioactive substances at Fort McClellan. The claims are being returned for further action.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including heart, neck, low back, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities. The evidence did not establish a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's period of active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, nerve damage to the left shoulder, hypertension, erectile dysfunction (secondary to hypertension), and a bilateral eye disorder (secondary to hypertension) have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence.

The Board dismissed the appeals for higher initial rating for right hand thumb strain, service connection for right and left leg shin splints, and service connection for a skin disorder. The appeals for reopening service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus were granted. Service connection was denied for headache disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, and sinusitis.

The Veteran's right leg disability is granted as service-connected. The left shoulder, right shoulder, and right foot disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various hip, neck, back, shoulder, elbow, and ankle disabilities due to credible testimony of in-service injuries sustained during combat duty. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of his back, left shoulder, and right ankle disabilities are remanded due to incomplete medical records. The VA will obtain relevant treatment records and personnel files from the Tennessee National Guard.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and low back disabilities due to conflicting medical opinions and lack of definitive evidence.