Shoulder decisions — 2026

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including right knee condition, left knee condition, lumbosacral strain (lower back pain), buttocks pain, right hand condition, and left hand condition. The Board found insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for a right shoulder condition due to errors in duty to assist and inadequate statement of reasons or bases. The AOJ is required to obtain all relevant medical records, including those from military service and private providers, and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of a painful scar, left shoulder condition, and neck condition were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, transient global amnesia, tinnitus, and PTSD have been denied. The Board has found that there is no competent evidence of these conditions during the pendency of the claim.,For the lumbar spine disability, the Veteran was granted service connection but a higher rating remains in dispute.

The Veteran's increased evaluations for right shoulder osteoarthritis and PTSD were granted effective April 27, 2018. The Board denied earlier effective dates as the earliest date of increase in disability was not ascertainable prior to this date.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the regulatory criteria.,Tinnitus has been granted service connection based on in-service noise exposure and reasonable doubt.

The Board has granted service connection for middle back strain. The claims of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hip sprain, and bilateral shoulder strain are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity sciatica was granted with an effective date of May 12, 2021. The claims for left shoulder and right shoulder conditions were also granted with the same effective date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for psychiatric disability, left shoulder disability, and right wrist disability due to incomplete evidence and need for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of his bilateral shoulder disabilities were denied, and he is not eligible for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, effective February 22, 2022.

Service connection for GERD, ED, sinusitis, RLE nerve disorder, LLE nerve disorder, lumbar spine disorder, right ankle disorder, and left shoulder disorder is denied as these conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Board denied service connection for TBI, headaches as secondary to TBI, left knee condition (limitation of extension), right knee condition (limitation of extension), left wrist condition (limited motion), right wrist condition (limited motion), and right shoulder condition. The evidence did not support a current disability related to the claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for neck pain with upper extremity symptoms, low back pain with lower extremity symptoms, bilateral knee pain, bilateral shoulder pain, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and bilateral lower extremity varicose veins due to a failure of VA to provide examinations as requested by the Veteran.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left ankle condition, right ankle pain, bilateral hip pain, lower back pain, and neck condition have all been granted. The Veteran also received a temporary increased rating of 10 percent for his right knee disorder from December 21, 2023, and a similar increase for his left knee disorder.

The Board has determined that there was a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for further action, including obtaining an appropriate VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's right shoulder disorder has worsened since the last VA examination in February 2012, and a new VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has rendered them unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted their TDIU claim.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD due to a lack of current diagnosis. The claim for left shoulder condition is remanded as the Veteran's STRs show an in-service injury resulting in a dislocation.

New evidence has been received to reconsider the service connection claims for various disabilities, including right arm, head, left knee, left shoulder, lower back, neck, and right foot. The Board is remanding these cases for further review.