Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology of his lumbar spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, gastrointestinal (Crohn's disease), and heart disabilities. The Veteran must be provided with VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal regarding increased ratings and effective dates for various disabilities remains pending due to the AOJ not yet readjudicating the claims in the modernized review system (AMA).,Issues related to left knee disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, lumbosacral strain with DJD, cervical strain with DJD, and tinnitus are still under consideration.

The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) was denied because the effective date cannot be earlier than March 12, 2021. The TDIU award is based on the schedular requirements and not due to a new disability or change in existing disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the current condition and active service.,Service connection for dermatitis is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset during or related to military service.

The appellant has withdrawn his appeals for right shoulder and right knee disabilities, resulting in the dismissal of these cases.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for headaches, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and neck disability due to inadequate medical opinions in the March 2022 rating decision. The Veteran is required to be afforded new VA examinations with adequate medical opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a right shoulder disability as it is incomplete due to a lack of an examination and medical nexus opinion.

The Veteran's cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, bilateral elbow lateral epicondylitis, and bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome are all granted as service-connected. The effective date is not specified.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues related to hypertension, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and chronic kidney condition.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for dermatitis was dismissed. His claim for service connection for OSA was dismissed as the June 2023 decision effectively granted his appeal in full. The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability, but granted a 10 percent rating for sinusitis.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder and right shoulder strain have been granted ratings. The TDIU rating is also in place, but the increased rating for right shoulder strain remains pending.

The Veteran withdrew their appeals for the left knee meniscal tear and left shoulder rotator cuff tear.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The claims for service connection and compensable ratings are not before the Board.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left knee, left shoulder, and back disabilities due to errors in the AOJ's decision-making process. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to a failure to obtain an updated line of duty determination considering the evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was not received to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, and bilateral ear disabilities. The claim for bilateral ear disability other than hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo is readjudicated as having been supported by new evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder condition and a kidney condition, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.,For the right shoulder condition, the Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of degenerative arthritis is related to his in-service injury. For the kidney condition, the Board determined that exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune likely caused the Veteran's chronic kidney disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee disability, seizure disorder, and related secondary service connection issues due to inadequate development of evidence and lack of adequate rationale in medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a right shoulder strain with impingement syndrome, left shoulder strain with impingement syndrome, and left foot plantar fasciitis have been granted effective May 15, 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical fusion/cervical herniated disc (neck disability) and left shoulder condition, finding that these conditions are related to in-service injuries.