Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's right shoulder degenerative arthritis is granted as service connected due to continuity of symptoms since service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypothyroidism, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral hip disability, stomach ulcers, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions have been readjudicated due to the submission of new and relevant evidence, resulting in their grant.

The Board denied service connection for right knee arthritis, finding that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of right knee arthritis. The Board granted service connection for left shoulder injury due to an in-service motor vehicle accident during inactive duty training.,The decision also noted that the Veteran's left shoulder injuries were related to mechanical overload or prior trauma and conceded the qualifying event occurred during INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, and the thoracolumbar spine disability is denied for ratings in excess of 20 percent prior to June 20, 2024, and 40 percent as of that date.

The Board has denied a higher rating for right shoulder strain prior to October 6, 2011. The case is being remanded due to non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for left shoulder, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives. A new VA examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for right and left shoulder arthritis, as well as right and left knee arthritis, finding that the Veteran's in-service injuries have resulted in chronic symptoms of these conditions since separation from service.

The Board denied the Veteran's applications to reopen claims for service connection for PTSD, a right shoulder disability, and multiple sclerosis affecting bilateral upper and lower extremities due to lack of new and relevant evidence.,No new or relevant evidence was submitted that could support reopening any of these claims.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, neck disability, bilateral ankle disability, and bilateral knee disability due to the lack of current diagnosed disabilities related to these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder, right hip, right ankle, and bilateral elbow disabilities based on the evidence showing a qualifying event during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder tendinitis and sinusitis, finding no clear error in the November 2011 rating decision.,Both conditions were found to not be related to service based on the absence of documented treatment records.

The Board has found that the Veteran's degenerative disc of the lumbar spine was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.,For his left hand and shoulder conditions, the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection.,A disability evaluation of 30 percent for a left shoulder disability has also been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for chronic diarrhea, left and right hip, knee, and shoulder disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay contentions regarding the onset and continuation of his symptoms.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection, with the tinnitus finding based on in-service noise exposure. The left shoulder disability has also been granted a 30 percent evaluation.,No specific evidence of exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, radiation, or Gulf War was provided.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination in December 2021, which did not consider service treatment records and the Veteran's lay statements regarding his shoulder injury during service.

The Veteran's appeal of his claims for service connection for various conditions was dismissed because the Notice of Disagreement (NOD) was filed more than a year after the most recent decision denying those claims.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for tinnitus, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including depression, PTSD, and insomnia), a back disability, and a right shoulder disability are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder due to the lack of current diagnosis and no evidence linking it to his military service.