Shoulder decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of left shoulder strain associated with right shoulder strain, finding that September 14, 2020 was the first date shown to have left shoulder pain and a left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for left shoulder pain and right shoulder pain. The Board will need to consider additional medical opinions or evidence to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective September 17, 2019. The Board denied an earlier effective date as there is no evidence of a prior increase in disability within one year before the application for increased rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, chronic kidney disease, and right shoulder condition due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining an adequate VA examination and medical opinion. The Veteran is presumed to have toxic exposure risk activity during his active service at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim for total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA medical opinion and incomplete work history provided by the AOJ.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, a right shoulder disability, and scarring of the right shoulder have been denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for any condition due to the lack of evidence showing significant impairment or additional symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for MDD with anxious distress was denied. The appeal is REMANDED to obtain retrospective medical opinions regarding the severity of his left shoulder and bilateral knee disabilities at the time of January 2019 VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities, finding that the evidence did not show motion limited midway between side and shoulder or flexion/abduction limited to 25 degrees.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for left shoulder degenerative arthritis is remanded due to the inadequacy of the VA examination report, which may have related his current condition to psoriatic arthritis instead of degenerative arthritis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, cervicothoracic spine pain, left knee pain, right knee pain, right ankle pain, right shoulder impingement syndrome, TMJ disorder, and unspecified trauma- and stressor-related disorder. The evidence did not support a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain and post-traumatic arthritis, cervical spine strain and post-traumatic arthritis, right upper radiculopathy (RUE), and left upper radiculopathy (LUE) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine condition.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for right shoulder and right knee disabilities as secondary to pre-existing conditions. The claims are being remanded for further adjudication.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to deficiencies in the medical opinions provided by VA examiners.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability as new and relevant evidence was not received to support his claim.

The Veteran's right ear and right head scars, residuals of skin cancer are not rated higher than 10 percent due to lack of visible or palpable tissue loss and characteristics of disfigurement.,The Veteran's right shoulder scar, residuals of skin cancer is not rated more than 0 percent as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7802.,The Veteran's left shoulder scar, residuals of skin cancer is also not rated more than 0 percent as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7802.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain is granted as service-connected, effective July 5, 2018.,An initial disability rating of 30 percent for IBS from July 5, 2018, is granted.

The Board has denied service connection for left shoulder pain and remanded the claim for GERD due to a lack of current diagnosis. The Veteran's left shoulder pain is not considered a disability, while his GERD may be related to service based on continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for allergic rhinitis is denied.,Service connection for the low back disability and right shoulder osteoarthritis are both denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for service connection as defined by VA regulations.,Regarding type II diabetes mellitus, there is no evidence of its presence within one year after separation from service and continuity of symptomatology is not established.

The Board has denied service connection for left hip, knee, clavicle/shoulder, arm, and sacroiliac/pelvic disabilities as secondary to a service-connected disability.,There is no probative evidence showing the Veteran has any of these conditions.