Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, neck, back, headache, right ankle, right knee, right shoulder, and right elbow disorders, penile disorder (erectile dysfunction), and sleep apnea, to correct a pre-decisional error by verifying the Veteran's duty status in January 2017 and obtaining additional medical opinions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, remanding some issues for further development.

The Board remands the claims for right shoulder and back pain to obtain additional medical opinions addressing the Veteran's work as a welder and in-service injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and a right wrist disability, as there was no evidence of these conditions during or shortly after his military service. The claims for other disabilities were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, as there was no current diagnosis of a hearing loss disability. The claims for service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, and left foot disabilities were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD and migraine headaches.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and remanded the claims for other conditions due to insufficient evidence.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder condition to afford the Veteran a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed condition.

The Board granted ratings of 30 percent or higher for the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine osteoarthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome, right shoulder strain, left elbow olecranon bursitis, right elbow olecranon bursitis, and headaches. Service connection was also granted for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) under the PACT Act.

The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, right/left lung apical and basilar pulmonary fibrosis (under the PACT Act), right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and an acquired psychiatric disability (other than PTSD).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for PTSD and right shoulder rotator cuff injury to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The appeal for service connection for a right shoulder strain was denied, while the appeals for service connection for left ankle strain, right ankle strain, lumbar strain, cervical strain, and bilateral pes planus were remanded.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's left shoulder subluxation with bursitis was granted a 40 percent rating from March 12, 2024, while the right hip bursitis limitation of flexion was denied. The Veteran was also granted entitlement to special monthly compensation at the housebound rate and aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities starting on that date.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, a left shoulder disability, and lumbar strain as there was no current disability. The cervical strain with cervicalgia claim was dismissed as moot due to an April 2025 rating decision granting service connection.

The Board denied a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss and remanded the claims for service connection, increased ratings for acne and knee disorders, and pes planus.

The Board denied service connection for all the claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a current disability or that any of the claimed disabilities were related to active duty.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include generalized anxiety disorder, and left ear hearing loss. Other claims were denied or remanded.

The Board denied an effective date prior to September 5, 2023, for a 100 percent rating for MDD and SMC based on housebound criteria. However, it granted service connection for right ear painful scar, right ear surgical scar, and sleep apnea with an effective date of November 30, 2020.

The Board remands all claims for service connection and a compensable disability rating due to the failure of the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) to properly obtain relevant private medical records prior to making a decision on appeal.