Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis, left shoulder is related to his service. The claim will be reconsidered by the AOJ with a new examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was submitted with the February 2022 Supplemental Claim, warranting readjudication of the claims for service connection for right shoulder strain and left shoulder strain. The Board finds a need for additional medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current shoulder disabilities and his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip osteoarthritis and left shoulder strain as secondary to his service-connected right ankle strain and right shoulder disability, respectively.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral foot disability, left knee and hip disabilities, right shoulder disability, IBS, and headaches. The reasons provided include lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and service.

The appeal for service connection for a right shoulder disorder is dismissed as the claim has been fully granted in a previous rating decision.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disorder, right wrist disorder, and right shoulder nerve disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,Service connection was also denied for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board found no current disability meeting the criteria for VA compensation purposes.

Your right shoulder condition was previously granted service connection in a February 2024 rating decision, so the current appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions and whether they are related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to inadequate medical nexus opinions provided by the VA in July 2020. The Board finds that further examination and opinion are needed to determine if his current disabilities were caused or aggravated by his active-duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for muscle pain, finding that there is no current disability and insufficient evidence to establish a link between his in-service complaints of muscle-related symptoms and any diagnosed conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's claims for service connection are not supported by the evidence.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 30% from September 8, 2020. The rating was granted as his abduction range of motion was limited to midway between the side and shoulder level.

The Veteran's service connection claims for sleep disturbances, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, back injury, left knee condition, and right knee condition are all granted. However, the rating for bilateral hearing loss remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for left shoulder strain, status post total replacement, is being remanded due to the AOJ not having considered the expiration of the initial 100% rating on November 30, 2021.

The Veteran's appeal of the initial ratings for unspecified anxiety disorder and bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that the most persuasive evidence does not support a higher rating than 30 percent for unspecified anxiety disorder or noncompensable for bilateral hearing loss.,The Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for migraines, right shoulder disability, left foot disability (pes planus), right foot disability (pes planus), and right knee disability are remanded. The appeal of service connection for sleep apnea is also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his education, work history, and the nature of his job.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been submitted to readjudicate the claims for service connection for left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, lumbar spine condition, right elbow condition, and right shoulder condition. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since June 1, 2020. The Board has granted TDIU and assigned June 1, 2020 as the effective date. The Veteran is also entitled to DEA benefits from June 1, 2020.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for left shoulder rotator cuff tendinitis and right knee strain due to a lack of verification of the Veteran's reserve component service dates.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for dermatitis, fatigue, and increase rating for right shoulder rotator cuff tear due to a duty to assist error. The claims are being returned to the AOJ for further development.