Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of a left shoulder condition and reduction in rating for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal before the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, as his major depressive disorder and left shoulder disability limit his employment options.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, a right shoulder disorder, and a cervical spine disorder. The cervical spine disorder was not shown in service, is not causally or etiologically related to service, and was not caused or permanently worsened by a service-connected disability.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, sinus disability/allergic rhinitis, back disability, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left knee disability, and sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the claims for right knee, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities as well as a cervical spine disability due to inadequate reasons and bases in the previous decisions. The Veteran's statements regarding service connection will be considered during the examination process.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left ankle and right shoulder disabilities were denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that there are errors in the decision regarding service connection for various orthopedic conditions and hypothyroidism, necessitating a remand to obtain further medical opinions and diagnostic testing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board will consider this evidence in conjunction with the existing record.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder disability was aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran contends he fell and hurt his right shoulder while trying to help with his right knee problem.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his claimed conditions, as well as a review of the duty to assist error in assigning his hypertension rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected bilateral shoulder and ankle disabilities require additional development due to a lack of recent VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, hypertension, and insomnia are denied. The claim of service connection for bilateral tinnitus is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various knee and foot conditions, as well as a shoulder condition due to a duty to assist in obtaining medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's left shoulder impairment is granted as service connection due to continuity of symptoms since his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding inadequate VA medical opinions on the Veteran's right shoulder condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder degenerative arthritis as secondary to his right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence supports a causal relationship between the two conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder acromioclavicular joint arthritis and impingement syndrome, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy. Service connection was denied for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for GERD and a right shoulder disorder are being remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining or maintaining gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any of the claimed conditions, and therefore service connection is denied for all listed conditions.,The Veteran's claims are remanded for additional medical opinions regarding his left ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain and tinnitus.