Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for left and right trapezius/shoulder disorders, migraine headaches, and lumbar strain due to improper form submissions.

The Board remands the service connection claims for a left wrist, right wrist, and left shoulder disability to allow for initial adjudication on the merits.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck injury, left shoulder injury, right shoulder injury, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy as they require further development.

The Board remands the claim for a left shoulder disability to obtain additional evidence, including Social Security Administration records and private medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a conclusion that his service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability due to the need for verification of the Veteran's reserve service and determination of whether his Title 32 civil service status qualifies as active duty.

The Board remands the appeal for a new VA medical opinion on direct, secondary causation, and secondary aggravation of the right shoulder disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, bilateral knees, bilateral elbows, and bilateral shoulders to obtain new VA medical opinions that adequately address whether these conditions are related to military service or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted a 40 percent evaluation for the Veteran's dysfunctional right shoulder prior to February 14, 2022.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches and denied ratings in excess of 20 percent for RUE neuropathy with cubital tunnel syndrome of the right hand from September 20, 2023, to November 3, 2023, and status-post arthroscopy, with right shoulder labral repair. However, a rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for RUE neuropathy with cubital tunnel syndrome of the right hand between September 1, 2020, and April 27, 2021, was granted.

The appeals for initial ratings in excess of 50 percent for sleep apnea and a rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder strain were dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board granted service connection for migraines, including migraine variants, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and granted a TDIU rating on an accrued basis.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals granted service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's left shoulder disability is causally related to his active-duty service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis, right shoulder osteoarthritis, and right ear sensorineural hearing loss. The claims for an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, and increased rating for chronic fatigue syndrome were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for right hip strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with degenerative arthritis, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran. The right shoulder claim was remanded due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.

The appeal for service connection for headaches was denied, while the claims for ED, left elbow, left wrist, right hand, and right shoulder disorders were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability and a left shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began in service and have persisted.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine condition, left shoulder strain with impingement syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea.