Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and conducting adequate VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and an undiagnosed illness (claimed as fatigue). The Veteran's bilateral hand disability other than the right little finger contusion mallet finger is also remanded. Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders remains in dispute.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of current diagnosis meeting VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left shoulder disability due to inadequate prior examinations and the need for updated treatment records.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings in hypertension, tension headaches, and right shoulder disability require additional evidence due to his assertions of worsening symptoms since previous examinations. The Board has therefore ordered remand for further evaluations.

The Veteran's right hand disability, triggered fingers in the second, third, and fourth digits of his right hand, is granted as secondary to service-connected right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Board also grants service connection for a right shoulder disorder and left shoulder disorder, both considered secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been found to preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, resulting in a grant of TDIU effective October 21, 2014.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to obtain medical records and conduct examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected psychiatric disability, lumbar spine, right shoulder, right wrist, and right knee disabilities. Additionally, he must be examined to determine the nature and etiology of any left knee, right ankle, left ankle, and respiratory disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cat scratch fever is dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for unspecified residuals of a car accident is considered abandoned and must be denied.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as the evidence did not support direct service connection due to lack of continuity of symptomatology or showing of chronic disease in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability other than tinea pedis with tinea unguium, to include degenerative arthritis. The issues of service connection for light sensitivity, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, and neck condition are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional evidence, specifically post-service treatment records from WAMC.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his left shoulder disability and TDIU are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports from the previous years. The case will be returned to the Board for further review after obtaining additional medical opinions.

The case is remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's claims of right shoulder impingement syndrome with arthritis, bilateral plantar warts, and anemia deficiency.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder disorder and migraine headaches on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected neck disability. Service connection for back disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on multiple conditions have been remanded due to the legacy appeal system not being opted into the modernized review system.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right shoulder, bilateral wrist, and lumbar spine disabilities is being remanded due to inadequate examination reports that do not account for the functional impact of flare-ups.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for a new examination due to inadequate documentation of attempts to contact her.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left shoulder disorder and a scar on his nose bridge due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations.