Shoulder decisions — 2025

The Board remands the appeal for readjudication of service connection claims, primarily focusing on a left heel disability and its secondary effects.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities for further development, including obtaining contemporaneous VA examinations.

The Board granted a disability rating of 30 percent, but not higher, for the Veteran's right shoulder impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis and chronic right shoulder strain. The claims for increased ratings for temporomandibular joint disorder and left knee patellofemoral syndrome were denied.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and bilateral hip arthritis, but denied service connection for bilateral shoulder arthritis. The decision also denied increased ratings for knee disabilities and a compensable rating for PFB.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 20 percent disabling for degenerative joint disease, left shoulder, status post rotator cuff tear.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the 40 percent ratings for IVDS and right shoulder disability, as well as additional separate ratings for neuritis and neuralgia of both lower extremity sciatic nerves, all effective October 22, 2018.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), both associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with bruxism, as well as a rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches from December 18, 2020. The claims for service connection for cervical strain, left shoulder, right shoulder, and dizziness were remanded.

The appeal for service connection for a left shoulder disability is being remanded to provide the Veteran with notice of his right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, chronic kidney disease, cell bladder carcinoma, hypertension, and various musculoskeletal issues, as the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty for training.

The Board granted service connection for periodic leg movements, obstructive airway defect, left hip disorder, right hip disorder, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and cephalalgia (migraines) based on presumptive or direct service connection. The claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, allergic rhinitis, irritable bowel syndrome, right wrist ganglion cyst, unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder with depressive disorder, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were denied.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's back disability, to include degenerative disc disease, but denied a compensable disability rating for right shoulder tendinopathy and dismissed the claim for entitlement to a 10 percent evaluation based upon multiple, noncompensable, service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted an effective date of July 30, 2022 for the award of a 50 percent rating for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder (psychiatric disorder) but denied earlier effective dates for other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, including left upper extremity radiculopathy, right knee tendinopathy, left knee tendinopathy, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder, degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder, and plantar fasciitis in both feet.

The Board granted service connection for right shoulder strain and tension headaches, denied service connection for sinusitis, and granted initial ratings of 70 percent, but no higher, for depressive disorder, 40 percent, but no higher, for lumbosacral strain, and 20 percent, but no higher, for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the claims for an additional VA examination to determine the current level of severity of the Veteran's right shoulder disability and to address the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to diabetes mellitus and/or GERD, but denied service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities and a right shoulder disability.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral knee disability, a bilateral ankle disability, and a right shoulder disability as the evidence did not support that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The appeal is dismissed as the Veteran did not express disagreement with any issue decided by the AOJ within the prior year.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, spinal fusion of the lumbar spine with degenerative arthritis, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's left ankle. The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder was granted.

The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment as of September 15, 2022.