Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Board has found that there may be outstanding VA treatment records from the Veteran's service period and remanded for their retrieval to make a fully-informed decision on his claims.

The Veteran was granted service connection for various hip and shoulder conditions, as well as radiculopathy associated with lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, all effective December 1, 2014.,No earlier effective dates were granted due to the lack of supporting evidence in the claims file at the time of the initial rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder condition, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD). Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The claims for service connection of neck and knee conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is reopened and granted as his current major depressive disorder with anxious distress is found to be secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability.,The request to reopen the previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a head injury, now claimed as traumatic brain injury (TBI) residuals, is denied. The evidence does not support that any right shoulder disability is related to a service-connected left upper extremity disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for the lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, and right ankle disability is denied.

The Veteran's prostate disability and kidney disability are denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's degenerative disc disease, cervical spine (claimed as neck pain) is denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's bilateral nuclear sclerosis cataract and posterior vitreous detachment (claimed as vision problems), left shoulder strain (claimed as shoulder pain), sleep condition including insomnia and sleep disturbance, and erectile dysfunction are all denied without a clear service connection being established.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and needs a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right shoulder condition is related to his service.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain, impingement, and rotator cuff tendinopathy and right shoulder degenerative arthritis, impingement, and rotator cuff tendinopathy. The Veteran's combined disability rating during the claim period is currently 70 percent prior to January 16, 2019 and 80 percent after that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and back condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a psychiatric disorder is remanded as he has not been afforded a VA examination regarding his current diagnoses.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction/loss of reproductive organ is remanded because it is inextricably intertwined with his service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's claim for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded as he has not been afforded a VA examination regarding his current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claims for bronchial asthma and COPD are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a right shoulder disability is remanded because he has not been afforded a VA examination regarding his current condition.,The Veteran's claims for frostbite left foot, frostbite right foot, chronic mycotic infection bilateral feet, and bilateral foot disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete medical opinions and need for additional examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding his psychiatric, skin, neurological, digestive, and genitourinary disabilities. The orthopedic claims are also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for denying a higher rating for right shoulder impingement syndrome, specifically regarding the ameliorative effects of medication and the adequacy of VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left shoulder disability was denied as the current 20 percent rating adequately reflects the severity of his impairment.

The Board has granted service connection for upper and lower back disabilities, but remanded the claims for first rib disability, right shoulder disability, and neck disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, neck pain due to degenerative disc disease, and a right shoulder condition based on insufficient evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence. The Veteran is granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD, but TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right lower extremity neuropathy, left leg disability, and left shoulder disability have all been denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions or a causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's Raynaud's disease is granted service connection. The initial evaluations for left and right shoulder arthritis are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error in obtaining an adequate rationale for the denial of service connection for a right shoulder disability. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with new evidence and medical opinions.