Shoulder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical examination and requests for clarification regarding medication, pain, ROM testing, ankylosis, and employment impact. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being evaluated again.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed left shoulder disorder(s), including consideration of the lay testimony regarding the alleged fall during a pre-deployment to the Middle East.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his right arm and shoulder disabilities did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left ankle disability as secondary to his service-connected right ankle disability. The decision on the issue of service connection for a left shoulder disability is remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for tinnitus as it was granted in a separate decision. The remaining claims of service connection for various disabilities are remanded due to the need for further medical examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, skin disorders of the face and low back, but denied service connection for right shoulder and left shoulder disorders.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, back disability, and left knee disability due to a lack of evidence demonstrating current disabilities or a causal relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the adequacy of a previous VA medical opinion and the need for additional evidence. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being reviewed again.

The Veteran's left knee strain is granted service connection.,Effective September 24, 2015, the Veteran receives a 20% disability rating for her bilateral shoulder disorders.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability is granted.

The Veteran's left achilles tendonitis is granted a 20 percent rating, but no higher. The Board also grants the Veteran a TDIU from March 20, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for left shoulder posterior aspect GSW to Muscle Groups III and IV was denied. A separate 30 percent evaluation is granted for the same condition from May 31, 2023.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran's left shoulder and left knee disabilities remain denied.

The Veteran's left shoulder strain is rated at 20% and denied any higher rating.,For migraines, the Veteran was previously granted a 30% rating prior to October 2, 2020, which remains denied. From October 2, 2020, to May 6, 2022, he received a 50% rating and this is upheld.,After May 6, 2022, the Veteran's migraines are rated at 50%, but no higher, as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's left shoulder condition is rated at 20 percent for rotator cuff impingement syndrome, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to limited range of motion.,For mild incomplete paralysis of the median nerve, the Veteran is granted a separate 10% disability rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder condition, finding that his pain and limitation of motion began in service and persisted since then. The decision is based on continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's headaches are service-connected. The issues of service connection for left knee, low back, and left shoulder disabilities have been remanded.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted service connection. The left elbow and foot disabilities are denied, with the exception of a remand for further examination to determine if they are related to service or secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The low back disability is also remanded.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain and right shoulder disability have been granted increased ratings, but the rating for his right shoulder is only granted prior to September 13, 2022. The Veteran's sleep apnea remains under review.,Service connection has not yet been established for the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and low back disabilities due to inadequate VA examination opinions. New examinations are required to determine if these conditions are at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by service.