Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for anxiety, insomnia, and depression is dismissed. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of reoccurring acute sinusitis due to his in-service exposure to particulate matter during his active service. Service connection is granted for this condition. Other claims are denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder due to inadequate examination and medical opinion, and failure to obtain all relevant VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and missing records. The issues include left ankle, left elbow, low back, migraines, and left shoulder disabilities, as well as residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disability manifested by pain, finding that there is approximately even evidence to support this claim and resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of left shoulder arthritis and right shoulder impingement with partial rotator cuff tear are found to be causally related to his military service, leading to the grant of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of right shoulder, left hip, or right knee disabilities. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his right shoulder, elbow, hip, and headaches disabilities have been granted. The appeal for a higher rating for his right lower extremity radiculopathy has been denied.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple claims for service connection, including cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, headaches, ear, nose and throat (ENT) disability, hypertension, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities. The Board has determined that further development is needed to obtain relevant medical records and seek expert opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, low back disability, knee strains, shoulder strain, elbow condition, eye disability, GERD, and anxiety, were granted effective December 18, 2020.

The appeal of the Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety is dismissed as his PTSD, claimed as anxiety disorder, has been granted. The Board also denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria.

The Board has remanded the claims for prostate condition, hypertension, chronic headaches, ED, GERD, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, skin condition (melanoma of neck and face), back disability, left ankle injury, right ankle disability, and right shoulder disability due to a duty to assist error.,The Veteran's service connection claims are remanded as the Board finds that VA examinations and medical opinions are required to determine whether these claimed disabilities are etiologically related to his active service or other service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right inguinal hernia is granted service connection. The claims for left inguinal hernia, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder, including as secondary to her service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with IVDS, is being remanded due to inadequate VA examination and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney, liver, right shoulder, and right foot bunion conditions have been denied.,There is no evidence of current disabilities in these areas during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder pain and related conditions was granted, with a 20% rating assigned. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and remanded the claims for right shoulder, left shoulder, and kidney disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied a higher evaluation as there is no evidence of limitation to 45 degrees flexion or 25 degrees abduction.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of September 29, 2016 for the grant of Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Basic Eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).,An effective date of September 29, 2016 was assigned due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder (secondary to right shoulder), right knee, and left knee disabilities are all found to have their onset in service.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder (to include as secondary to right shoulder), right knee, and left knee disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal to revise the December 2005 rating decisions for his shoulder disabilities and depressive disorder was dismissed because he withdrew his appeal, and no new evidence or relevant service records were submitted within the appeal period.