Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to inadequate examination reports. The claims include right shoulder Bankart repair, lumbar spine spondylosis, sciatic nerve impairment radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, femoral nerve impairment radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and residual scar of dorsal column stimulator.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic bronchitis is granted under the PACT Act, which provides presumptive service connection due to exposure to burn pits. The claims for right shoulder and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and back disabilities due to a lack of service medical records. The Board found clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran had pre-existing left shoulder and back disabilities, but needs further clarification on whether these conditions were aggravated during service.

The Board has remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral knee conditions and service connection for right wrist, right hand, and left shoulder conditions due to additional development being needed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to August 19, 2009 did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for further development.,Specifically, his right shoulder disability remains at a 40 percent rating, while left knee and TBI issues are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected back, right ankle, right bicep, and left knee scars disabilities are being remanded for further examination to determine their current severity. The Veteran's claims for service connection of a left shoulder condition, left elbow condition, and right elbow condition are also being remanded for VA medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of cooperation from the Veteran and insufficient examination findings. The Veteran is required to undergo new examinations for his sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, right arm disorder, low back disability, bilateral hip disabilities, bilateral shoulder disabilities, and left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and bruxism, finding that the appellant's current conditions are due to an aggravation of pre-existing injuries sustained during his Marine Corps Reserve duty.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not have their clinical onsets during his active service and were not otherwise related to his service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and the reduction of his disability rating have been withdrawn, resulting in the dismissal of all related issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back, right knee, left knee, and left shoulder disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in the May 2019 decision. The Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service injuries and symptoms must be meaningfully addressed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, skin condition, and right shoulder condition due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran is requested to provide additional medical records and undergo new VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition and a left ankle condition, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities or links to service.,Specifically, the Board determined that the Veteran did not have any diagnosed conditions related to his claimed injuries during service.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings was denied. The rating for migraine headaches remains at 50 percent, and the rating for right shoulder disability from November 20, 2009 to September 14, 2015 is also denied.

The Veteran's sinusitis is granted service connection as it is presumed to have been caused by his exposure to fine, particulate matter during service in the Persian Gulf. The remaining issues are remanded for further examination and review.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5201 for limitation of motion. The appeal has been denied as his current range of motion does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for left shoulder condition, asthma, tinnitus, and allergic rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical examinations and opinions. The issues are related to service connection for wrist and shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including acromioclavicular joint separation and glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, has been granted an initial 10 percent rating.