Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board of Veterans' Appeals remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for aortic thrombosis, chronic left shoulder condition, lung condition affecting the right upper lobe, abdominal aorta condition, and chronic proximal left vertebral artery occlusion to ensure compliance with procedural requirements.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder and a rating in excess of 10 percent for a status post left ankle fracture to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right shoulder strain with tendonitis and remanded issues related to service connection for right cervical radiculopathy and recognition of K.W. as a helpless child.

The Board denied service connection for left shoulder strain as it is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The veteran's appeal for higher ratings for left shoulder impingement syndrome and left upper extremity paresthesia was dismissed due to a late filing.

The Board granted service connection for a disorder of the feet, claimed as status post bunionectomy and status post gallbladder removal. The claims for tinnitus, PTSD, and other back, bladder, GERD, hysterectomy, neck, shoulder, hip, knee, and plantar fasciitis disabilities were denied or remanded.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding the evidence nearly equal. The claims for respiratory and hip disabilities were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for depression and denied all other claims, including increased ratings and earlier effective dates.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a cervical spine disability, a bilateral ankle disability, a bilateral knee disability, and a bilateral shoulder disability as there was no evidence of current diagnoses or medical nexus to active service.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection for various conditions to correct a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the rating decisions on appeal.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis (lumbar spine), and lumbar radiculopathy, right lower extremity. The claims for PTSD, alcohol use disorder, a right shoulder disorder, and sleep apnea were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for adjustment disorder with anxiety and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as the evidence did not support the level of impairment required for these ratings.

The Board granted service connection for a right shoulder disability and increased the rating for right knee instability to 30 percent, effective April 25, 2024, while denying other claims.

The Board granted service connection for a left breast mass condition and denied increased ratings for a trunk scar above the right breast and bilateral hearing loss. Several claims were remanded.

The appeal for service connection for sleep disorder is dismissed, and the Veteran's claims for service connection for alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and lower back strain are denied. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher disability rating for his service-connected right shoulder conditions due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the ameliorative effects of medication.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to correct duty to assist errors, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and adequate VA medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, unspecified anxiety disorder, seborrheic dermatitis, and denied increased ratings for left shoulder disability, myalgia, left-hand disability, right-hand disability, right shoulder disability, kidney stones, plantar fasciitis, lung disability, actinic keratosis, and squamous cell carcinoma. The Board remanded service connection claims for several conditions.

The Board denied service connection for cold weather injury, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction (ED), and conditions of the ankles, shoulders, and left hand due to a lack of evidence showing in-service incurrence or current diagnosis.

The Board remands the appeal to correct an error in satisfying a statutory duty under 38 U.S.C. § 5104(b) regarding the effective date of service connection for right shoulder impairment.