Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Veteran's left shoulder condition is granted as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disability.,The Veteran's neck condition is denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis and no evidence linking it to active duty.,The Veteran's left-hand condition is denied because the current arthritis is not related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for VA examinations and medical nexus opinions, including those related to sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, low back condition, right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatica), residuals of a shoulder injury, and migraine headaches. The claims are being returned for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, and recurrent skin disabilities due to incomplete opinions and need for additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current shoulder conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, and narcissistic personality disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and sleep apnea due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for burn residuals of the face, left knee disability, right knee disability, right shoulder disability, left hand disability, and right hand disability due to incomplete efforts in confirming the Veteran's dates of reserve service and obtaining relevant medical records.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for right knee, left knee, and right shoulder disabilities due to inadequate examination results. The Veteran's bilateral knee conditions are associated with his scars, so these issues are inextricably intertwined.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, left shoulder bicipital tendonitis, major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder (NOS), left knee tendonitis, and cervical spine intervertebral disc disease (to include cervical strain) have all been denied. The effective dates for these awards have also been denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeals for service connection of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, arthritis of the left shoulder, arthritis of the back, right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome, kidney condition, bladder condition, testicle condition, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The evidence received since the June 2014 rating decision is not new and material.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to a procedural deficiency in the higher-level review process.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have been rated at the maximum schedular disability rating of 50 percent since July 12, 2010. Additionally, from July 12, 2010, a TDIU has also been granted due to the combined effect of multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, and left shoulder disabilities due to issues with the adequacy of prior VA examination opinions. The Veteran contends these conditions are related to his service-connected left ankle strain.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including kidney disorder, migraine headaches, depression, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (low back pain), have been remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has been granted for migraine headaches.

The Veteran was granted an extraschedular TDIU from November 9, 2012 to December 13, 2012 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for gastrointestinal, bilateral knee, left shoulder, and back conditions due to inadequate opinions in the January 2020 VA examination reports.,Additional development is needed to obtain an adequate opinion regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for chronic bronchitis, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and right knee disability are all granted.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for right shoulder pain, joint pain, and headaches. The claims are being remanded to allow for additional examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether VA's treatment or lack of treatment caused additional disability for the Veteran's left shoulder disorder.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete service records and the need for additional medical examinations. The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, OSA, anxiety and depression, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability are pending.