Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and post-operative left shoulder arthroplasty with rotator cuff repair are granted. The appeals for higher ratings for asthma, a disability of the right little finger, and a disability of the left fourth toe are dismissed.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and the left shoulder axonal nerve injury is rated at 40 percent effective January 26, 2018. The appeal for increased ratings remains pending.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development and to obtain additional opinions regarding service connection for shoulder disabilities and psychiatric conditions.

The appeals to reopen the claims of service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, arthritis of the back, arthritis of the joints (other than hips, right shoulder, and neck), and arthritis of the left shoulder are granted.,The appeals to reopen the claims of service connection for arthritis of the neck are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for a collarbone disability, right shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disabilities due to insufficient medical evidence in the record. The AOJ is directed to obtain additional VA treatment records since September 2020 and secure addendum opinions from a VA examiner regarding these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for a recurrent right shoulder disability and a recurrent lumbar spine (low back) disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and right shoulder condition to include tendinopathy and degenerative joint disease due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the purposes of special monthly compensation at the housebound rate is denied as there is no single service-connected disability that prevents him from securing and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, vision loss, blurred vision, dry eye syndrome, bilateral hand disabilities, and left shoulder disability are all denied due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability related to military service.,There is no indication in the STRs that the Veteran had any hearing or vision issues during his active duty. The VA examination did not find any current disabilities for these conditions either.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, rotator cuff tendonitis of the right shoulder, painful surgical scars of the right lower extremity, residual scar of the right lower extremity, right ankle status post-surgery, circadian rhythm sleep disorder, and right inguinal hernia. The issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's left leg disability is granted a 30 percent rating, but no higher. The Veteran's left shoulder disability remains at 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for muscle spasms was dismissed. The Board found no evidence linking the current right hip, shoulder, and hemorrhoids disabilities to service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence being added to the claims file since the last Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). The Veteran did not waive AOJ review, so the case is returned for further consideration.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right shoulder disability resulting from a February 2018 shoulder surgery is dismissed because his service connection for the same condition has already been granted. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions and additional development is needed. The Veteran's multiple joint pain in hips, knees, and shoulders may be related to service-connected conditions or an undiagnosed illness.

The appeals of the denial service connection for right side sciatica nerve pain and the initial ratings assigned for hypertension, left shoulder impingement syndrome, and right thumb tendonitis are dismissed. Entitlement to an initial 100 percent rating for PTSD with bruxism is granted.

The Board denied revision of the July 2002 and February 2013 rating decisions based on CUE for various conditions, finding that the errors did not manifestly change the outcome.

The claim for service connection of a back condition is granted. The claims for service connection of right shoulder and bilateral knee conditions are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development, including examinations to determine the etiology of his right shoulder disability and psychiatric disabilities. The examination will address whether these conditions are related to service, particularly considering toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).

The Board has granted service connection for low back disorder and right shoulder disorder, both diagnosed as arthritis. The Veteran's current conditions are related to injuries noted in service.,Service connection is also granted for bilateral hand pain, but the claim is remanded for further examination.