Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the cases of obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder condition, and right hip condition for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including neck disability, bilateral shoulder disability, back disability, hip disability, and knee disability due to incomplete development. The Veteran's lay statements and VA treatment records will be reviewed, along with any additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's claims for right arm numbness, right shoulder condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle pain and numbness, and hypertension have all been denied as they do not meet the criteria for service connection.,Specifically, there is no evidence of a current disability in any of these conditions. The Veteran has provided statements indicating he experienced symptoms but did not provide sufficient objective medical evidence to support his claims.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and left upper extremity radiculopathy are granted service connection. The appeal for the radiculopathy of the left and right sciatic nerves is dismissed as they have already been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral leg disability and a disability manifested by chronic muscle fatigue due to insufficient evidence on record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to October 11, 2021. The Board found the most persuasive evidence against a finding that his disabilities prevented him from performing all types of work.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that it is related to his active duty service and resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has ordered the AOJ to reassess the Veteran's right shoulder disability claim, including evaluating separate ratings for any additional diagnosed conditions. The AOJ must consider all applicable diagnostic codes and provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and the need for additional information from the Veteran regarding his employment, education, and specialized training history. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered based on the updated evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his left shoulder condition resulted from carelessness, negligence, lack of skill or similar fault on the part of VA personnel.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed disabilities, as the existing VA examinations were deemed inadequate.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder condition, finding that his current diagnosis was not related to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical rationale for the opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder disabilities. The Veteran needs a new examination with an examiner who can provide a thorough medical rationale and consider all lay assertions, including those from his hearing.

The Board has remanded the claims for a right shoulder disability, GERD, bronchitis, asthma, a right hand disability, and a right wrist disability due to outstanding VA and private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for GERD is being remanded as it may be secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability. The Board also requested an opinion on whether the GERD is related to medication prescribed for his service-connected condition.,The Board has remanded the claims for bronchitis and asthma due to incomplete review of the record, including a lack of VA examinations regarding in-service asbestos exposure.,The Board has remanded the claims for a right hand disability and a right wrist disability as they may be related to already service-connected conditions. The Veteran's MOS was gas turbine maintenance, which could have exposed him to asbestos.,The Board has remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's left shoulder disorder began in or is otherwise etiologically related to her active duty service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical spine arthritis and left shoulder arthritis due to new evidence provided in February 2018. However, the claims remain denied as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's PTSD, Headache Syndrome, Depressive Disorder, and Left Shoulder Post-Operative Tendon Tear with Degenerative Joint Disease are all granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. The effective date for these grants is January 29, 2015.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal before a decision was made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability, diagnosed as left shoulder strain, is related to his service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left foot disorder and a right shoulder disorder, as well as his request for an increased rating for lumbar strain, are being remanded for further development.,Service connection is denied for the Veteran's claimed left foot disorder and right shoulder disorder.