Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on limited range of motion.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a left shoulder condition was dismissed without prejudice due to his withdrawal request.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder and a cervical spine disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a direct link to service.

The Board has found the VA medical opinions inadequate and remanded for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records and conducting a physical examination to determine if any diagnosed skin conditions or left shoulder disorders are related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral shoulder disability, and back disability due to insufficient development. The Veteran's service connection claims are not granted as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his in-service noise exposure or injury.

The appeals for service connection of various conditions have been dismissed.,No effective date adjustments were granted.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, left subacromial/subdeltoid bursitis and left acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and cervical intervertebral disc syndrome and cervical degenerative disc disease and myelomalacia due to these conditions being proximately due or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder degenerative joint disease is rated at least a 20 percent rating, and the TDIU issue is part of the appeal for an increased rating. The case is remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and complete a new TDIU form.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings and service connection for erectile dysfunction due to a lack of substantial compliance with prior remand directives. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is being remanded for a new opinion addressing all of his contentions regarding its onset.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and skin disability due to inadequate opinions regarding service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot, shoulder, lumbar spine, sleep, tinnitus, and headache disabilities have been denied.,There is no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that there was not substantial compliance with the remand directives and thus the claims for service connection of right shoulder, back, and right knee disabilities are being returned to the RO for additional development.

The Veteran's right shoulder impingement and rotator cuff tendinitis are granted service connection. The umbilical hernia, emphysema, sinusitis, right hand disability, and left hand disability claims are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete information and the need for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current right shoulder disability is related to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for hearing loss was granted, but a noncompensable rating was assigned. A subsequent increase to a 10 percent rating is granted from December 28, 2016.,An increased rating greater than 20 percent for post-operative left shoulder impingement and entitlement to TDIU prior to September 15, 2017 are both remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, service connection for left knee and right shoulder disorders, and HTN have been denied. The appeals are dismissed as the submitted evidence does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's left shoulder disability was aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disability. The Veteran contends that his current left shoulder condition is a result of overcompensating for his right shoulder replacement.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and right shoulder disorder due to a lack of VA examination related to her right shoulder condition. The Veteran is also requested to provide any outstanding private or VA treatment records relevant to her claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including whether it is directly related to service or qualifies as a presumptive chronic disability under VA regulations.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's right shoulder disability is not service-connected, and has ordered a remand to obtain an opinion on its etiology.