Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff syndrome with instability, as it is unclear whether his condition is related to service or a service-connected disability. The case will be returned for further development and an updated opinion from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's service-connected lower back and right shoulder disabilities prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation as of October 6, 2023. The Board granted a TDIU effective that date but remanded the issue for prior to that date.

The Veteran's reactive airway disease is rated at 30% from October 6, 2022. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left shoulder and lower back conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's neck/cervical spine disorder is not service-connected.,The Veteran's left shoulder bursitis and right shoulder bursitis are both rated at the maximum allowable under current VA regulations.

The Veteran's right and left hip pain are granted as secondary to his service-connected back disability.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for obstructive sleep apnea with asthma, degenerative arthritis of the spine, and right shoulder degenerative arthritis have been denied. The current ratings are deemed appropriate based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's claims for high blood pressure, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, back disability, and bilateral finger/thumb disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding her musculoskeletal disabilities, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal regarding reopening of service connection for various conditions, including traumatic brain injury and skin disability, needs to be remanded due to procedural issues. The VA will issue a Statement of the Case (SOC) addressing these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, effective December 5, 2016.,For the period from December 5, 2016, the symptoms of the Veteran's right fifth finger condition are most closely analogous to painful motion at or proximal to the proximal interphalangeal joint.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus as diagnosed disabilities, and thus cannot be granted service connection for these conditions.,For RUE CTS and LUE CTS, the claims are being remanded due to insufficient evidence of a current disability.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings of 20 percent and 30 percent for his right shoulder disabilities due to a lack of jurisdiction under the legacy appeal system.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional VA clinical documentation being submitted after the April 2019 supplemental statement of the case. The Veteran did not waive review of this new evidence.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the Veteran's right shoulder labral tear, finding that the severity of his disability most closely approximated a 20 percent rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee, ankle, shoulder, and hand conditions due to a lack of evidence showing current disabilities or causation in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder and elbow disabilities due to inadequate opinions from a VA examiner. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection and rating for various disabilities, including a physical sleep disorder. The Veteran's claims are being referred back for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder scar and remanded the issues of rating increase for GERD and recharacterization of stomach condition as gastrointestinal disability.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 50 percent for the service-connected right foot pes planus is dismissed.,Entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted, and the issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left knee disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate development and lack of compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's back, left wrist, and left shoulder disabilities are being reviewed for service connection.