Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment from April 11, 2014 to November 6, 2017.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection due to unclear records regarding when functional ankylosis began, inadequate VA examination reports, and the need for additional medical opinions on the etiology of his disabilities.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including those related to insomnia disorder, erectile dysfunction, chronic fatigue syndrome, blackout spells, DDD of the cervical spine, pinched nerve as secondary to DDD of the cervical spine, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's hypertension claim is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of current diagnoses.,The Veteran's claims for right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, neuropathy/radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and neuropathy/radiculopathy of the left lower extremity were also denied due to lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for back and right shoulder disabilities due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. However, these claims are still remanded as further development is needed including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a medical examination.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU rating prior to March 24, 2010 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's increased rating claims for the left and right shoulders are being remanded due to an inadequate VA examination. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the shoulder disability claims.

Service connection is denied for glaucoma, a right foot condition (claimed as trench foot), a skin condition (claimed as psoriasis), a right hip condition, and left shoulder and low back conditions.,There is no evidence of current diagnoses or service-connected disabilities related to the claimed right foot condition, skin condition, right hip condition, left shoulder condition, or low back condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for a right hand disorder. The denial is based on lack of evidence linking current right shoulder condition to service, while the right hand disorder issue requires further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is found to have started during his military service and has persisted since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lower back condition. The left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent and remains unchanged.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with secondary major depressive disorder was granted a TDIU effective April 11, 2017. The appeal for the TDIU prior to that date is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis have been rated at 20 percent since December 2013. The Board found that the evidence did not show limitation of motion to midway between the side and shoulder level, which is required for a higher rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder disability, including rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff syndrome, labrum tear, and traumatic rupture of the rotator cuff with tendinopathy, is related to his service. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected post traumatic seizures and entitlement to special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance. The VA will obtain private medical records, provide an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the left shoulder disability, and determine if the Veteran requires aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, left shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, and bilateral knee disabilities due to a lack of VA examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected. The remaining issues of service connection for back, left shoulder, right ankle, and left foot/toe disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to July 27, 2015 due to insufficient evidence showing that she was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to her service-connected disabilities.

Service connection for PTSD was denied as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD.,The rating in excess of 10 percent for painful right shoulder surgical scar and separate compensable rating for a right shoulder surgical scar were both denied due to lack of evidence supporting higher ratings.