Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left knee, cervical spine, and bilateral shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for an effective date prior to April 27, 2018, for the grant of service connection for a right shoulder disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, right shoulder disorder, and other disabilities. The claims are pending further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an adequate opinion regarding secondary service connection for a left ankle disorder. The Veteran's right shoulder disorder is denied as not incurred in or related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and additional VA examinations are needed.

The Veteran's right 4th finger disability and degenerative arthritis in the right shoulder are not rated higher, but he is granted a TDIU since December 1, 2023. The service connection for traumatic brain injury remains remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a heart disability and secondary conditions related to those disabilities, need further review due to insufficient evidence in some cases.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the Veteran's timely filing of a Decision Review Request (DRR) opting into the Appeals Modernization Act, which allows for dismissal of appeals.

The Board denied service connection for back, neck, left knee, and left shoulder disabilities as there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and unclear onset of his claimed disabilities. He is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if he currently has diagnosed disabilities that are related to his in-service duties.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disorder and right shoulder disorder, finding that new and material evidence supports these claims. Service connection is granted for mild facet arthrosis of the lumbar spine and right shoulder acromioclavicular joint degenerative changes.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of anemia, degenerative disc disease, hypertension, and heart murmur have been withdrawn. The appeal as to these issues is dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for sleep apnea, sinus disability (variously diagnosed as sinusitis and rhinitis), nasoseptal deformity, and right shoulder disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and relationship of the Veteran's conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, finding that there is no evidence of current disabilities or a causal relationship to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed left wrist, bilateral knee and left shoulder conditions. Service connection was denied only for his right knee condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to an in-service accident, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The claims of bilateral foot plantar fasciitis, chronic left hip pain disability, chronic neck pain disability, and right shoulder disability are remanded due to a lack of VA examinations.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is granted an increased rating to 40 percent, and service connection is granted for radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. Service connection is also granted for right and left shoulder disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed. The issues of TDIU, severance of service connection for residuals of a TBI and headache disorder, reduction of rating for acquired psychiatric disorder, and remand for additional determinations on various conditions have been addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremity (sciatic nerve) alone supports a TDIU, and his combined rating exceeds 60 percent without this condition. Therefore, SMC based on a single service-connected disability rated as total is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a recurrent right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the lack of VA examination records and scheduling issues.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine condition, left shoulder condition, and right shoulder condition as these conditions are considered to have originated during his active-duty service.