Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders, including a respiratory disorder, headache disorder, loss of balance/dizziness disorder, vision impairment, neck disorder, shoulder and arm disorders, wrist disorders, hand disorders, feet and toes disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete evidentiary record.

The appeal for service connection for tinnitus and various musculoskeletal conditions was withdrawn by the Veteran's representative, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.

The Board granted service connection for left knee degenerative joint disease status post left knee injury, sprain and remanded claims for shoulder disability and OSA.

The Board granted service connection for right shoulder tendinitis, headaches, and hypertension, with a 30 percent rating assigned to the right shoulder condition effective July 28, 2021.

The Board grants service connection for a neck condition, left and right arm radiculopathy as secondary to the neck condition, a low back condition, left and right leg radiculopathy as secondary to the low back condition, a headache condition as secondary to the neck condition, and a right shoulder condition.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, scars of the face, psychiatric disorder, and traumatic brain injury.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, left shoulder disability, right hip disability, and left knee disability as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.

The claims for increased ratings for left shoulder, right shoulder, and GERD are remanded to ensure the Veteran is afforded the opportunity to attend examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board granted service connection for left and right shoulder strains, left and right hip conditions, cervical strain, and secondary radiculopathies of the upper extremities. It denied a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for right total knee arthroplasty, a compensable rating for right knee surgical scar under Diagnostic Code 7802, and a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative joint disease and spondylolisthesis of the thoracolumbar spine and left shoulder rotator cuff tear with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the appeal regarding the propriety of the award of agent fees to S.R., and remanded for a determination on the reasonableness of the fee amount.

The Board granted a 20 percent initial rating for the right and left foot conditions, but denied increased ratings for the shoulder and ankle conditions.

The appeal of the September 2024 denial of service connection for a right knee disability and a right shoulder disability is dismissed as these claims are now moot due to subsequent grants of service connection. The initial rating for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) was denied, while an initial rating of 10 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was granted.

The Board remands the claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder impingement syndrome due to an inadequate examination report.

The Board granted service connection for left wrist strain, right wrist strain, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition as secondary to service-connected lupus. Service connection was also granted for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis as secondary to psoriasis.

The Veteran has been granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and special monthly compensation due to the service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities, but remanded several other claims including an acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, prostate disability, COPD, coronary arteriosclerosis, femoral artery disabilities, hearing loss, tinnitus, dry eye condition, liver disease, toenail fungus, headaches, and hypertension.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including pseudofolliculitis barbae, right shoulder disability, right ankle achilles disability, right toe disability, bilateral flatfoot, and tinnitus.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right shoulder strain, as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the criteria provided.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including ankle pain, chronic lower back pain, GERD, hair thinning/loss, IBS, and others, as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis.