Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions considering his work history and lay statements regarding his ability to perform as an electrician or support technician.

The Board has withdrawn the claims for service connection for seizures and a knee disability, as well as granted service connection for low back disability and left shoulder disability.,Service connection for tinnitus was dismissed as it was already granted in an earlier decision.

The Board denied service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for the Veteran's cervical spine, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities due to VA treatment in July 2009. The Board found that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and active service or VA treatment.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disorder is reopened and granted. The claims for residuals of TBI, bilateral eye disorder, lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hip disorder, bilateral knee disorder, and bilateral foot disorder are denied. Service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral shoulder disorder, MDD, and hypertension are also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities due to inadequate medical examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the receipt of new and material evidence. The issues of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a skin condition, and right shoulder and left knee disabilities are being addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for left ankle degenerative arthritis, left leg tibia and fibula malunion with degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis and DDD with neural impingement at the C6-C7 disc, and right shoulder tendonitis and arthritis.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus, the claim for this condition is denied.,The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, and heart disability to obtain medical opinions regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent is remanded as the SOC has not yet been issued.,All other claims are remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including cervical spine disorder, right and left shoulder impingement syndrome and AC arthritis, right wrist tendinitis, left wrist tendinitis, right hand tendinitis, left hand tendinitis, right ankle tendinitis, and left ankle tendinitis. The issues are currently under further development.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities have been denied as service connection cannot be granted for PTSD due to lack of a valid clinical diagnosis.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU effective December 15, 2016, on a schedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The extraschedular TDIU claim between April 1, 2016, and December 15, 2016, is remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for shoulder, foot, and back disabilities due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners. The Veteran must provide more responsive opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service or their relationship to active duty.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that there is no evidence of a chronic right shoulder condition in service or continuity of symptomatology since service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have a traumatic injury to his right shoulder during service.,The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for hypertension due to an incomplete understanding of the relevant medical history, specifically regarding elevated blood pressure readings documented during service.

The Veteran's right shoulder tendonitis rating is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims during a hearing before the Board.,An earlier effective date of July 20, 2012, but no earlier, has been granted for service connection for CAD based on new evidence from in-service records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are being remanded due to the need for new medical opinions.

The Board has decided that the service connection claim for a left shoulder disability should be remanded due to incomplete records and an inadequate VA opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction and has remanded the issue of service connection for a right shoulder disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for gastrointestinal condition, bilateral shoulder condition, and other conditions. The underlying merits of these claims are remanded to allow for further development.

The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for various conditions, including bilateral pes planus, right and left shoulder disorders, a bilateral foot disorder (plantar fasciitis), and hallux valgus on the left foot. The claims are being returned to obtain VA examination addendum opinions that discuss lay statements in their rationales.