Shoulder decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that there are duty to assist errors and the case is remanded for further development, including obtaining STRs from the Veteran's Reserve units and medical records from his private providers.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and a failure to obtain an adequate examination or medical opinion. The Veteran is required to be provided with new VA examinations and medical opinions that address the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including their relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow any form of substantially gainful employment prior to April 16, 2023. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance was also established.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of service connection for a back condition, hip condition, shoulder condition, diabetes, hypertension, and heart condition are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's hypertension, hypothyroidism, gastritis and GERD, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and arthritis, right knee arthritis and shin splints have been granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active service.,Service connection for recurrent right shoulder disability (osteoarthritis) and recurrent left shoulder disability (osteoarthritis) is remanded as the evidence does not clearly establish their onset in service.

The Veteran's appeals for a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) prior to February 11, 2021 are dismissed as the issues remain pending in the Legacy system.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical strain, right shoulder strain, and an acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder), finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current right upper extremity disorders are related to his military service. The case will be reviewed with a new addendum opinion.

The Veteran's hematuria and nephrolithiasis are due to service, with the Board finding sufficient evidence to grant service connection.,The Veteran's left shoulder dislocation is due to service, as evidenced by a private examination that found it likely began during active duty.,The Veteran's low back disability is also due to service, supported by a private examiner's opinion and consistent with his lay statements.,Regarding vision loss, the Board denied the claim due to lack of evidence meeting the low threshold for VA examination under McLendon v. Nicholson (2006).,For bilateral hearing loss, the Veteran is entitled to a new VA examination as the previous one was inadequate and internally inconsistent.,The claims for left knee osteoarthritis and right knee osteoarthritis are remanded due to insufficient evidence of an in-service injury or disease.,Vision loss claim denied.

The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea is dismissed. The appeals for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder strain with bicipital tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, glenohumeral joint instability, and degenerative arthritis as a direct result of an in-service injury.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from January 1, 2017 to October 27, 2017 due to service-connected disabilities. The temporary total evaluation for convalescence was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain with osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, and knee cartilage restoration surgery, lumbar strain, cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, right shoulder strain, and left shoulder strain with shoulder impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis.,An effective date of December 6, 2016 has been granted for the award of service connection for right knee instability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The issues include shoulder, knee, and TDIU claims.

The Board has determined that there was a duty-to-assist error in the November 2024 rating decision and remanded the case for an addendum VA medical opinion to address whether the Veteran's right shoulder disability is caused by his service-connected rib removal with pain residual of chondrosarcoma.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, left upper extremity neurological disability (C7/C8 cervical radulopathy and left ulnar neuropathy at the cubital tunnel), and right knee degenerative arthritis, right knee strain, and ACL tear.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left shoulder disorder due to an inadequate VA examination report in April 2023. The appeal is now back with the Board for additional development and adjudication.

The Board has remanded the claims for a new VA shoulder examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected left shoulder strain, including pain and functional impairment.

The Board has remanded the cases due to additional development needed, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and VA treatment records from September 2024 onwards.

The Veteran's right knee and bilateral shoulder degenerative arthritis have been granted service connection.,A compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) has been denied, with a separate 10 percent rating granted for left ankle instability.