Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and left shoulder disabilities due to incomplete examination reports and outstanding treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient VA examination and requests a new opinion from an appropriate examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine and right shoulder disorders due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected right wrist disability.

The Veteran is entitled to retroactive CRDP compensation payments for the periods from March 1, 2010, through May 31, 2012, and July 19, 2012, through April 30, 2014. However, it is unclear if he received the full amount of VA compensation benefits he was entitled to for the period prior to March 1, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any right shoulder, right arm, left leg, or heart disability related to service. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis has been granted service connection. Service connection for his left hand/thumb disorder, right hip disability, left hip disability, and left shoulder disorder is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral foot disorder and left shoulder disorder due to a lack of VA examination responses. Additional medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate reasoning in a previous VA examiner's opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected left knee condition caused or aggravated his left shoulder condition. The case will be returned for further development and an addendum medical opinion.

Effective dates of July 1, 2015, have been granted for the initial ratings of 50% for bilateral plantar fasciitis, 10% for thoracic spine degenerative joint disease, and 10% for right shoulder impingement syndrome with degenerative arthritis and synovitis.

The Board denied service connection for asthma, sinus disorder, right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and bilateral foot disorder. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted (bilateral foot disorder) while others were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for low back, right shoulder, hypertension, and tinnitus disabilities. The Veteran's OSA was also not granted as service-connected.,Service connection was denied for all claimed conditions due to a lack of evidence linking the current diagnoses to military service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as due to presumed in-service herbicide exposure. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's other musculoskeletal conditions are attributable to his conceded in-service exposure to toxic herbicide agents.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's esophagus cancer and right shoulder condition were not shown as chronic in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within a presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology is not established. The claim for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right shoulder condition was remanded due to new evidence submitted by the appellant.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and shoulder disabilities, as well as a respiratory disability. The claims are being returned to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a right shoulder disability due to conflicting opinions and lack of consideration of the Veteran's lay reports regarding his right shoulder pain.

The Board has denied service connection for various knee, arm, shoulder, and wrist disorders due to the lack of current diagnoses in the record.

The Veteran requested to withdraw their appeals for the issues of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, right wrist condition, right shoulder condition, left knee condition, and low back condition. The Board has dismissed these appeals as per the Veteran's request.

The Board has not found substantial compliance with previous remand directives regarding the Veteran's left shoulder disability. The case is being remanded again due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left shoulder degenerative arthritis is denied.,The claims for higher ratings for cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded, as further development is needed to determine the extent of current disability.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also remanded.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and right shoulder disability have been granted increased ratings. The Veteran's right knee disability has not met the criteria for an increased rating.