Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the July 2021 VA contract examination, which did not consider the Veteran's statements about right shoulder pain and his MOS as an Infantryman.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to procedural issues and lack of merit in his arguments.

Your appeal for service connection on all the listed conditions has been dismissed as your claims were not properly appealed.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the 20% rating of right shoulder degenerative joint disease, finding that there was no evidence showing limited range of motion prior to June 12, 2020.

The Board has granted effective dates of December 31, 2014 for the service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, a left shoulder disability, and limitation of motion of the left ankle.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for OSA, a left knee disability, DDD, a bladder condition, and a right shoulder disability are denied.,Service connection is not established for any of the claimed conditions due to lack of current diagnoses.

The appeal to reduce the disability rating for right shoulder degenerative changes from 50 percent to 20 percent is dismissed as the proposed reduction was not an adjudication subject to appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of right shoulder disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a right shoulder disability due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology. The AOJ must obtain a VA medical opinion to determine if the current condition is related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, including rotator cuff tendonitis, tear, and labral tear, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to link his current condition to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood that these conditions began during active duty.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including ankle, hand, foot, and shoulder disorders as well as insomnia and headaches. The claims of type II diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, GERD, hypertension, and heart disorder are remanded due to potential toxic exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's heart disability, respiratory disability, diabetes mellitus, and various peripheral neuropathies and radiculopathies are not service-connected. The cervical spine disability is also denied.

The Veteran's burn scars and right shoulder scar are not rated as compensable, while the DJD of the lumbar spine is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's heart disorder and hypertension are granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II. The right shoulder strain and left shoulder osteoarthritis are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as they are of such nature and severity that he can still secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability, right knee disability, and right shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to her active duty service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical strain (neck condition) and left shoulder condition, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between these conditions and her military service.

The Veteran's right shoulder surgery required convalescence from February 9, 2021 to August 1, 2021. The Board granted an extension of the temporary total disability rating for this period.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating, effective November 30, 2020. The Veteran's gunshot wound of the left shoulder with retained fragment penetrating muscle injury from November 30, 2020 to March 3, 2021 was granted a 20 percent rating.