Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and a right shoulder disability, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise with regards to these conditions being caused by an injury during active service. The ED claim was remanded due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate previously denied claims for service connection due to a lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension as it is not related to the Veteran's Gulf War environmental exposures, did not manifest within one year of separation from service, and is not otherwise related to service.

The Board granted service connection for GERD and increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy. The appeal for a compensable initial rating for COPD and scar of the left shoulder was withdrawn. Other appeals were denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic cough, cancer of the back, and cancers of both shoulders due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for back pain, headaches, bilateral knee pain, right hand numbness, painful joints in the right wrist, and a right shoulder condition as there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left shoulder pain, right shoulder pain, low back pain, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and high blood pressure to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding private treatment records and an addendum opinion.

The Board grants service connection for a back disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to an in-service car accident.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder instability, limitation of motion associated with right shoulder glenohumeral arthrosis, and TDIU prior to July 11, 2013, due to insufficient evidence regarding range of motion measurements and other factors.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, right and left lower extremity disabilities, nausea, hypertension, loss of smell, loss of taste, kidney disorder, prostatic hypertrophy, prostate cancer, post cranial nodes, boils on the shoulders, armpits, groin, and neck, gynecomastia, and an ear tumor. The claims were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or toxic exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine and right shoulder disabilities, as well as an earlier effective date for TDIU benefits.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and an initial rating of 10 percent, but no higher, for migraines.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, granting a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's PTSD was granted a total disability rating from August 22, 2019, and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from September 30, 2019. The Veteran is also granted individual unemployability based on service-connected disabilities from December 1, 2013.

The Board remands the claims for a right shoulder disability and left toe disability to provide adequate VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, thus granting special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied it for bilateral hearing loss and right shoulder degenerative arthritis. The claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was also denied.

The Board denied an increased rating for PTSD and remanded the claims for service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital syndrome left hand, and a right shoulder condition.

The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder conditions due to a lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses or functional impairment, and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), secondary to service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).