Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease, right shoulder strain, and osteoarthritis of the right shoulder as these conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for arthritis of the joints, including as a qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317, was denied. The appeal is also remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and a duty to assist error. The issues include right shoulder, left shoulder, bilateral foot, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral strain.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations and opinions obtained prior to the November 2022 rating decision were inadequate, as they did not provide a rationale regarding whether the Veteran's left shoulder disability is due to treatment provided by a VA medical facility, including any vaccinations. The case is therefore being remanded for an addendum opinion.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for four issues related to left shoulder conditions, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and assistance due to daily living activities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chest pain has been denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for a bilateral foot disability on the basis of aggravation of a preexisting condition was also denied due to lack of evidence showing an increase in severity during service.,Claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities were denied because there is no evidence of record indicating that the Veteran had these conditions at the time she filed her claim or in close proximity to when she filed her claim.,Service connection for a shoulder disability was denied due to lack of evidence showing the condition existed at the time the Veteran filed her claim or in close proximity to when she filed her claim.,The claims for service connection for low back disability are being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected shrapnel wounds and scars have been granted effective from January 23, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected left and right shoulder strains are currently rated at 20 percent each, but the Board denied higher ratings for both conditions.,A TDIU was granted prior to November 6, 2021.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain is rated at 40 percent effective November 12, 2019.,Left shoulder arthritis and related disabilities (bicipital tendon tear, rotator cuff tear, labral tear including SLAP) are rated at 30 percent effective May 23, 2019. The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve is rated at 40 percent effective January 1, 2019. The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy of sciatic nerve and right lower extremity radiculopathy of the femoral nerve are both rated at 30 percent effective January 1, 2019.,TDIU (total disability rating based on individual unemployability) is not granted due to lack of evidence showing entitlement prior to November 27, 2018.,DEA (Dependents' Educational Assistance) eligibility is denied as it requires a total disability rating.

The Veteran's right arm/shoulder, neck, and back disabilities are granted as compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to the April 2016 carotid endarterectomy (CEA) procedure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, right hip, right knee, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence showing an in-service injury or disease that caused these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for cervical strain, and denied service connection for various shoulder disabilities, radiculopathy, lower back injury, GERD, and IBS.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle joint pain and right shoulder joint pain are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial 60 percent evaluation for service-connected GERD has been granted. The Board also remanded the claims for cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, left shoulder disorder, and right shoulder disorder.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, depression, dizziness, light sensitivity, liver disorder, gynecological cyst, bladder disorder, headaches, allergies, hypothyroidism, cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left winged scapula, left shoulder disorder, right winged scapula, right shoulder disorder, left knee strain, right knee strain, and left ankle sprain were all denied as there was no evidence of a service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, neck disability, coccydynia, erectile dysfunction, left hip osteoarthritis, right hip osteoarthritis, left knee degenerative arthritis with arthroscopy and medial meniscectomy, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, right shoulder overuse syndrome, right elbow olecranon bursitis, and right elbow tendonitis. Service connection was granted for left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining medical records and inadequacy of VA examinations. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being reviewed again for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for right knee strain, right shoulder strain, and right wrist strain, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to her in-service fall.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis are granted as service connected. The Board found that the Veteran developed these conditions during active duty for training.