Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right shoulder condition has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied requests for earlier effective dates for increased ratings of the Veteran's left knee and right shoulder disabilities, finding that no earlier effective date was warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder, left wrist, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder condition and a left shoulder condition, finding that it is at least as likely as not that these conditions began during the Veteran's active service.

The Board denied service connection for GERD, right kidney disability, right shoulder disability, hemorrhoids, left knee osteoarthritis, and sinus disability as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied service connection for a left foot condition, a left hip condition, a right hip condition, and a left shoulder condition. The claim for a compensable rating for the nasal fracture was also denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral shoulders, tinnitus, and scars) prevent him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the right shoulder disability and remanded the claim for a left upper extremity (LUE) neuropathy evaluation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of cervical spine strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, and right shoulder impingement syndrome with arthritis.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to a lack of medical evidence linking the Veteran's claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board remands the service connection claim for a left shoulder disability due to insufficient evidence and requires further development, including an examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and a need for additional evidence. The claims will be reconsidered with consideration of all relevant evidence, including subsequent VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including a back condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus type 2, and various musculoskeletal disorders. The appeal of the claims for a back condition, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus was dismissed due to untimely notice of disagreement.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of a formal or informal claim before May 5, 2017.,Service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders was denied due to lack of verification of in-service stressor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a bilateral shoulder condition, back condition, and nightmares have been denied. The restoration of the 30% rating for GERD with Helicobacter pylori is granted, but the entitlement to a higher rating for GERD is denied. The claim for a compensable rating for bilateral peripheral retinal degeneration is also denied.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed disabilities, finding that the Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence to establish a present disability.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of December 23, 2016 for the award of service connection for right shoulder disability. The Veteran's attorney representative is eligible to direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in January 2022.

The Veteran's bilateral knee osteoarthritis and right shoulder degenerative arthritis are granted service connection as they began during active service.,The Veteran's OSA is remanded for further examination to determine its etiology.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating and service connection due to inadequate examinations and missing evidence.