Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased initial ratings for various conditions, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal for service connection and effective date claims due to an impermissible concurrent election of review options.

The Board denied service connection for a right shoulder disability, to include degenerative arthritis, as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current condition was related to his active duty service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus and headaches, due to a duty-to-assist error regarding VA examinations.

The Board remands the matter for a VA addendum opinion from an appropriate qualified examiner to evaluate the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disorder.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for a right shoulder disability to ensure that the VA examiner complies with its previous directives, specifically addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset and continued symptoms of his condition.

The Board remands the claims for further development, as substantial compliance with previous remand directives was not achieved.

The Board denied service connection for asthma and a right shoulder disability, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's left shoulder and neck disabilities, but granted an earlier effective date for right upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to a service-connected neck disability.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's low back and sciatic radiculopathy disabilities, but granted service connection for a right shoulder disability.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include insomnia and major depressive disorder with anxious distress, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability. The claim for an earlier effective date for TMJ was denied, as well as a higher initial rating for TMJ. The claims for service connection for left and right shoulder conditions were remanded.

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during its pendency.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining potentially relevant Social Security Administration records.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities as the evidence did not show a relationship to the Veteran's active service.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for all claims, including those for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for right wrist scapholunate tear with DISI deformity and right shoulder impingement syndrome with degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for a left shoulder disability and scars, secondary to inguinal hernia, but denied an initial compensable rating for the inguinal hernia. The decision also remanded the claim for sleep apnea.

The Board remands the claims for an extension of a temporary total rating and special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria due to missing records from the Veteran's VA treatment.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for right rotator cuff tendonitis from April 16, 1999 to August 13, 2012 and denied a higher rating for the left shoulder surgical scar during the same period.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected conditions due to his failure to attend scheduled VA examinations without good cause.