Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for a left shoulder disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion, as the previous VA examination was found inadequate.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right and left shoulder conditions, and a left ankle condition due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various joint disabilities, including arthritis, to obtain additional evidence and a more thorough examination.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, a right shoulder or arm disorder, and a left shoulder disorder as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or a nexus to service.

The Board remands multiple issues related to service connection and rating of various conditions, including migraine headaches, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, and others.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, related to surgical treatment at the Tampa VA Medical Center, due to incomplete medical records and non-compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board remands the issues of a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to December 28, 2018, and in excess of 40 percent on and after December 28, 2018, for right shoulder degenerative arthritis; an effective date prior to December 28, 2018, for the award of a 40 percent rating for right shoulder degenerative arthritis; and a rating in excess of 20 percent for right humeral fracture residuals without complete union for additional development.

The Veteran's service connection for tinnitus was granted, while the claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied. Several other claims were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for bruxism, a lumbosacral strain, a left shoulder strain, and bilateral blepharitis but denied service connection for hypertension, hearing loss, a neck strain, costochondritis, and a right shoulder sprain.

The Board granted an initial 20 percent disability rating for the Veteran's left shoulder disability prior to August 30, 2023, but denied a higher rating since that date.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a back disability, left ankle disability, left knee disability, left shoulder disability, and psychiatric disorder, due to inadequate medical opinions.

The appeals for increased ratings and other claims were dismissed as moot or not meeting the criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding no evidence of a current qualifying disability. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to initial ratings higher than 20 percent for left and right shoulder strain disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining relevant SSA records.

The Board remands the claim for a right shoulder disability to obtain an addendum opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for low back, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral knee disabilities as additional evidence needs to be obtained.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and dismissed the appeals for other conditions including right shoulder disability, right ear hearing loss, left upper molar problem in service cracked root, right foot condition (claimed as inflammation to bilateral feet), left foot condition (claimed as inflammation to bilateral feet), right elbow problem with inflammation, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction secondary to PTSD, and initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for an undiagnosed illness manifested by fatigue, joint pain, and muscle aches, as well as for a right shoulder strain. However, it denied claims for compensable ratings for tension headaches, chronic sinusitis, and dermatitis.

The Board remands the claim for a left shoulder disorder to obtain an adequate medical opinion addressing the Veteran's contention that his weighted vest injured his shoulder and whether his service-connected back disability could aggravate his shoulder condition.

The Board granted a disability rating of 30 percent, but no higher, for chronic laryngitis with hoarseness status post right true vocal cord polyp excision and remanded the issue of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder degenerative arthritis other than post-traumatic with tendinosis.