Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, left shoulder, right shoulder, and tinea cruris disabilities. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were remanded for readjudication based on new evidence.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right and left shoulder injuries to obtain an appropriate VA opinion addressing all of the Veteran's STRs and lay statements.

The Board remands the claim for a left shoulder disability and surgery to obtain a VA medical opinion, as there is insufficient competent medical evidence on file regarding the etiology of the Veteran's condition.

The appeal for service connection for multiple conditions was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder pain, left upper extremity radicular pain, hypoesthesia, and paresthesia, left elbow pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), right ear hearing loss disability, and tinnitus.

The Board denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder osteoarthritis with glenohumeral and acromioclavicular joint instability but granted a separate 30 percent rating for impairment of the right humerus associated with this condition.

The veteran withdrew all appeals related to the initial ratings for left shoulder, right hip (extension and flexion), and right wrist conditions.

The Board granted an effective date of April 19, 2017, for the grants of entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a right knee disorder.

The appeal as to the claims of service connection for shoulder pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is dismissed, and an effective date prior to April 18, 2024, for the award of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, to include degenerative arthritis and scoliosis, is denied.

The appeal was dismissed due to a formal defect related to the Veteran's concurrent election of multiple review options for the same issues.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral knee strain and bilateral shoulder tendonitis, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board granted an increased initial rating of 70 percent for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, denied a higher initial rating for right foot plantar fasciitis, granted service connection for left foot plantar fasciitis, denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, and remanded the claim for entitlement to service connection for a right shoulder impingement syndrome.

The Board granted service connection for tonsilitis and a left shoulder disability, but denied service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), right ankle, and left ankle disabilities. The claim for a higher rating for GERD was also denied.

The Board granted disability ratings of 40 percent for right shoulder impingement syndrome, 30 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tear, and acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, 30 percent for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, 40 percent for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, and 30 percent for right knee patellar chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis, but not higher.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for cervical strain, bilateral hearing loss, right and left shoulder strains, tinnitus, and endometriosis was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and increased ratings for a right shoulder strain, cluster headaches, and a right shoulder surgical scar. However, the Board granted an initial increased rating of 50 percent for other trauma and stress related disorder.

The Board denied service connection for avascular necrosis of the bilateral shoulders and hips, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and neurological impairments of various extremities as they were not causally related to the Veteran's in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board remands the case for additional development to obtain missing service treatment records.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder strain, bilateral knee osteoarthritis, and bilateral foot degenerative arthritis and heel spur to obtain additional medical opinions.