Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for addendum opinions on the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a headache disability, and sleep apnea secondary to a service-connected psychiatric disability. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding that the evidence did not establish a nexus between any of these conditions and active military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding right shoulder DJD during flare-ups, requiring a new examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of left hand carpal tunnel syndrome and right shoulder disability for further examination and opinion to determine if these conditions are related to service, specifically whether they are secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine are found to have started during service and continue to present. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hip, knee, shoulder, foot, and lower back conditions are being remanded due to the need for VA examinations and the retrieval of relevant medical records.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, and a stomach condition to include ulcers. Service connection is remanded for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, left shoulder condition, and right shoulder condition.,The Veteran's service records show he was exposed to gunfire and artillery rounds during his active-duty service, which supports the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates are denied as the evidence does not show that he continuously prosecuted his claims within one year of the February 2010 rating decision.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder, back disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including back disorder, right hand/finger disorder, right elbow disorder, neck disorder, high blood pressure, and right shoulder disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for increased evaluations and TDIU due to the Veteran opting into the modernized appeals process under the AMA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied because she does not have a disability. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for her left shoulder disability, requesting clarification on whether it is for the right or left shoulder.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left middle finger injury is dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for Barrett's Esophagus associated with irritable bowel syndrome with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied.,The Veteran's secondary service connection claim for degenerative arthritis, right (claimed as right shoulder condition), to the service-connected disability of left shoulder strain with degenerative arthritis is remanded.,The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative arthritis of lumbar spine (claimed as back condition) is remanded.,The Veteran's service connection claim for right hip condition (claimed as bilateral hip condition) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence received after a prior rating determination. The Veteran is to be afforded VA examinations to determine the etiology of any current right carpal tunnel syndrome, low back disorder, cervical spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, skin disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as she has maintained employment throughout the appeal period.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations provided for each of the Veteran's claimed disabilities were inadequate and remanded to obtain addendum opinions addressing the etiology of the conditions. The claims are now being returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's right shoulder and right knee conditions have been remanded for further development due to non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board has dismissed all issues on appeal due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions. The Board is seeking more information on the severity of her lumbosacral strain, the nature of her cervical spine condition, and whether her bilateral ankle and shoulder conditions are related to service or secondary to other disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to potential exposure to Agent Orange and other toxic substances during service. The Veteran's conditions are being reviewed in light of the PACT Act, which requires VA to provide a disability examination and medical nexus opinion when a veteran submits a compensation claim and has evidence of a disability and participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA).