Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral shoulder and hand disabilities. The claims are not granted as there is no evidence supporting a nexus between service and these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or chronicity after discharge. The Board also found no causal relationship between her current right shoulder disability and her service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's claimed disabilities are related to his 2005 surgical treatment at a VA Medical Center, and if so, whether they were proximately caused by carelessness, negligence, or similar fault on the part of VA.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are granted, with hypertension being granted under the PACT Act presumption of herbicide exposure. Other issues remain pending.

The Veteran's left shoulder DJD with recurrent dislocations is currently rated at the maximum allowable under Diagnostic Code 5200, and no higher rating can be assigned. The Board denied entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 40 percent for this condition.

The Veteran's sinusitis is granted service connection under the PACT Act, effective from his qualifying Southwest Asia service.,Service connection for bilateral shoulder acromioclavicular joint separation is granted, but an earlier effective date than May 21, 2015 is denied. The claim was filed in August 1991.

The Board has determined that additional VA opinions are needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disorder and bilateral ovarian vein embolization, as the current opinions do not address these issues adequately.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis is related to an in-service injury, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for his right shoulder scar and entitlement to TDIU due to inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to an error in submitting a wrong form, and now requires a Statement of the Case (SOC) before further appellate consideration.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted a 30% rating as of March 24, 2022. The issue of TDIU prior to October 30, 2020, and on an extraschedular basis, remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for musculoskeletal pain and arthritis of the feet, shoulders, knees, and neck based on a lack of objective evidence within one year of separation from service.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right shoulder condition and bilateral pes planus due to deficiencies in the record, specifically regarding the adequacy of the VA examinations and consideration of the Veteran's entire medical history.

The Board denied service connection for low back disorder and right shoulder disorder, finding no evidence of in-service injury or chronic condition. The appeals were dismissed.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was granted a 30 percent rating effective December 3, 2021. His right ankle disability remains at a 20 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for left wrist, right wrist, left knee, left ankle, and right ankle disorders have been granted.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a neck disorder has also been granted.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted service connection, while the left shoulder disability issue is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, and left knee disorders. The Veteran's right knee disorder was not found to be related to his in-service injuries.

The Veteran's IBS and right shoulder condition were granted initial ratings. The claims for fibromyalgia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and fatigue are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and an additional medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right and left shoulder conditions.