Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD has been withdrawn and dismissed.,Service connection for right knee degeneration is denied.,Service connection for low back condition is denied.,The case of service connection for right shoulder rotator cuff disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU from September 12, 2011. The issues of initial ratings for various shoulder, knee, ankle, and pain disorder disabilities are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of right shoulder disorder, right knee disorder, and chest disorder. The TDIU claim related to left knee disabilities is granted as of January 9, 2019.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder osteoarthritis is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

Service connection for a chronic lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, and tinnitus has been granted.,Service connection for hypertension, headache disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disorder has not been established.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted as service-connected, and the issues of left shoulder, left arm nerve, right arm nerve, left leg nerve, and right leg nerve disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his failure to provide updated employment information, specifically by submitting a VA Form 21-8940. The evidence showed that he had service-connected disabilities but did not meet the criteria for TDIU as defined in the regulations.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including hernias and spinal issues in the neck, back, and shoulders. The Veteran is required to provide additional information about how these conditions were caused by physical trauma sustained during military sexual assaults.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left shoulder disorder, and left hip disorder are all found to be related to his military service. Sleep apnea is also granted as being related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine if his conditions are related to military service or other factors.

The Veteran's vertigo is granted as service-connected. An initial compensable rating for the abdominal scar is denied, but a separate 10 percent rating for painful scar as of February 8, 2022, is granted. Service connection for dyspnea (claimed as asthma), right shoulder condition, bilateral pes planus, left knee condition, and right ankle condition are all remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, but has remanded the issue of service connection for a left shoulder disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for right shoulder scar, bilateral knee disability, low back disability, and bilateral ankle disability. The appeal for sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, including a request for an earlier effective date for service connection. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral shoulder arthritis, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and his military service. The decision also noted that the Veteran's current conditions were more likely due to obesity and overuse from his employment as an electrician.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remands. The Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability is being reviewed again as there are uncertainties regarding his duty status during certain periods and the need for a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability and associated surgical scar are being remanded for further examination to determine their current severity, with a focus on the impact of flare-ups and upper extremity numbness. The rating for his service-connected right shoulder disability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's right knee disability is granted as service connected. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current disability of severe right shoulder pain related to her military service and remands for further examination. The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis is also found to be at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for left and right knee disabilities due to the lack of current diagnoses.,The Board has also remanded claims for bilateral hearing loss, skin disability, left shoulder disability, and right foot disability as there is insufficient evidence addressing their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the VA examination reports regarding the Veteran's left shoulder disability, specifically flare-ups and use over time.