Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for right shoulder strain is remanded due to the inadequacy of the June 2021 VA examination and conflicting private medical records. The Board requests a new examination to address range of motion, limitations, and diagnoses.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension due to the lack of a current diagnosis and dismissed the appeal for left shoulder condition as untimely.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder condition due to the lack of current diagnosis. The right knee condition is remanded as there are missing VA and private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hand disability, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and headache disability as the evidence did not support that any of these disabilities began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus and bilateral shoulder disabilities, effective April 8, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain with torn rotator cuff and lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the assignment of increased ratings for her right foot and left shoulder disabilities. The Board finds that no such effective dates are warranted.,VA has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran's right foot disability or left shoulder disability had reached a level warranting the assigned evaluations prior to November 8, 2019.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. Service connection for a right shoulder disability and left shoulder strain as secondary to the right shoulder disability are granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a left shoulder condition, and a lower back condition due to lack of evidence showing these conditions are related to military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to August 20, 2004, for the grants of service connection for left and right shoulder acromioclavicular joint arthritis and impingement syndrome.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected left shoulder strain was denied as the evidence did not show limitation of motion to 25 degrees from side, which is required for a higher rating.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied an evaluation in excess of this rating. The Veteran was previously granted a TDIU prior to May 22, 2022, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with urinary frequency, to include as secondary to service-connected sleep apnea is denied because the evidence does not support a finding that this condition began during or was caused by active service.,Service connection for a left shoulder disability is also denied. The Veteran's claim cannot be established on a direct basis due to lack of in-service injury and no evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left elbow and left shoulder disorders due to a duty-to-assist error, requiring additional medical opinions.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including an acquired psychiatric disorder, residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), headaches, bilateral eye refractive error, cervical spine disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, bilateral hip/thigh disorder, bilateral upper and lower extremity nerve damage, bilateral ankle disorder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and dry skin disorder. The denial is based on the lack of diagnosed conditions in service or recent to the filing of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for depressive disorder, right shoulder strain, and scar (disfigurement) have been denied. The claim for erectile dysfunction remains pending as the effective date is being remanded.,An effective date prior to April 24, 2020, was not granted for any of the conditions listed.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are not related to his active duty service. The claims for these conditions have been remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for morbid obesity, costochondritis, and GERD were denied. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome was also denied.,Service connection was granted for generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks and major depressive disorder (Anxiety Disorder).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right shoulder disorder, OSA, and diabetes mellitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from August 9, 2019, to May 6, 2021. Therefore, the Board granted his claim for TDIU during this period.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is granted as secondary to his service-connected allergic rhinitis. Service connection for PTSD, adjustment disorder with anxious mood and/or depressed mood, and any other mental disorders are denied due to lack of a formal DSM-5 diagnosis during the pendency of the claim.