Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to evidence obtained after the previous remand. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations for his musculoskeletal disabilities and hearing loss. The claims are also inextricably intertwined with the issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his disabilities are not so exceptional that it renders application of the regular schedular ratings impractical. Therefore, entitlement to TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection has been withdrawn. The Board is remanding the issues of service connection for shoulder, hip, and ankle disabilities due to lack of sufficient medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to lack of prior formal or informal claims filed before December 17, 2015.

The Board denied increased ratings for right wrist scapholunate disassociation, spondylosis of the thoracolumbar spine junction with strain and degenerative arthritis, left shoulder strain, radiculopathy in the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy in the left lower extremity.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's joint pain, which includes his back, shoulders, knees, and hips. The Veteran contends that his joint pain is related to service, particularly his physically demanding MOS as a tacfire operations specialist.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate compliance with prior remand directives, specifically regarding the opinions provided by VA examiners. The Veteran's claims for service connection are now pending and will be reconsidered.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate nexus opinion regarding the Veteran's left shoulder disability. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a current diagnosed left shoulder disability, but the VA examiner found no evidence linking it to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to the need for more contemporaneous examinations to determine the current level of severity of all impairment resulting from service-connected right and left shoulder rotator cuff tear and back disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a VA medical examination to assess the Veteran's employment capacity due to his service-connected disabilities. The issues of rating left ankle chronic ligament strain and TDIU are inextricably intertwined.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to incomplete records and a need to readjudicate the claims, including consideration of all service treatment records.

The Veteran's left upper extremity radiculopathy is granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability. The claims for prostate, gout, glaucoma, acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), left shoulder, right shoulder, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded.

The appeal for a higher rating for the left shoulder disability is dismissed.,The appeal for an earlier effective date for TDIU prior to February 3, 2017, is dismissed.,The appeal for eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits prior to February 3, 2017, is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on his PTSD and left shoulder disability was dismissed. Prior to August 30, 2021, the Veteran's left shoulder disability was denied as not meeting criteria for a higher rating. From August 30, 2021, the claim remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and causation of the Veteran's left shoulder disorder. The Veteran needs to provide additional details about his in-service injury, which may include medical records from Womack Army Hospital.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in a previous VA examination and conflicting statements about sun exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating on his right shoulder disability has been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left foot and right foot disabilities due to insufficient evidence.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the appellant requested to withdraw all remaining issues, including service connection for bilateral hearing loss and higher evaluations for knee and shoulder conditions, due to a full grant of TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete VA examinations and other procedural issues.