Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, migraines, nerve damage-related right hemidiaphragm, degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, and tinnitus, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for left shoulder condition and thyroid stimulating hormone level, resulting in their dismissal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an error in notifying the Veteran of his right to a pre-decisional hearing at the RO level. The Veteran was provided with notice of his appeal options, including a hearing before the Board.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for right shoulder dislocation was dismissed because the appellant withdrew their appeal before a decision could be made.

The Board has granted an effective date of August 6, 2014 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service shoulder injury and his current right shoulder disabilities. The case will be returned for further evaluation.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder arthritis, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's headaches are rated at 30 percent, but the right shoulder disability remains at 20 percent. The appeal for a higher rating on the right shoulder is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and neck disabilities due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for his left shoulder and left arm disorders, finding that they were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected partial left foot drop with left knee arthritis.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left shoulder disability is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the May 2022 VA examination. A new examination will be scheduled to assess the current severity of the condition.

The Veteran withdrew all appeals related to increased ratings, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for dental and oral conditions, depression with social anxiety condition and sleep disturbances, and service connection for left and right leg radiculopathy and migraines.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring a new medical opinion on whether the Veteran's right shoulder strain is related to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection and rating for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, heart condition, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, and neck condition due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these appeals.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not establish an in-service injury or disease related to the right shoulder. The Veteran's current diagnosis of right shoulder strain was noted at a VA examination.,For the secondary service connection claim for hypertension, the Board found the July 2023 medical opinion inadequate and remanded to provide an adequate medical opinion addressing whether the psychiatric disorder aggravated the hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss due to a missing audiogram from July 2022. The other issues of service connection for left shoulder condition and memory loss remain unresolved.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, diabetes mellitus II, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for allergic rhinitis/sinusitis has been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.,The Veteran's claims for hypertension and sleep apnea have been denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current disability.

The Board has denied service connection for right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, finding that the evidence does not support a causal relationship to service.,The Board also denied service connection for right knee degenerative arthritis and left knee degenerative arthritis, noting that there is no evidence of record supporting these claims.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, and right shoulder conditions as they are considered to be directly related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's claims for left and right shin splints, painful joints, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no evidence of these conditions during service or related to service. The claim for low back disability is also denied.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea remains remanded.