Shoulder decisions — 2026

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the service connection claims for left shoulder, right shoulder, and low back conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder disability, finding that it began during his military service and is related to an in-service injury.

The Board has found that the current medical opinion is inadequate and the record is incomplete without other opinions. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disorder.

The Veteran's left elbow disability is being remanded for further review.,The Veteran's right hip and left hip disabilities are also being remanded for further review.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder, right ankle condition, right shoulder condition, left knee condition, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and migraines due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for SMC(o) was denied as he could not receive multiple awards of SMC(l). The right shoulder bicipital tendonitis rating was denied, and the TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include left shoulder, right shoulder, low back, and skin condition (including skin cancer) disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of July 17, 2022, but no earlier, for the grant of a total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU) is granted. The evidence shows that the Veteran was unable to secure substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected right shoulder disability and met the schedular criteria for TDIU from July 17, 2022, to September 14, 2023.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims for insomnia, loss of sight, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection and increased rating for his right shoulder disability was denied. The Board found that the earliest claim for service connection was filed on June 3, 2024, and thus no earlier effective date is warranted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as not meeting VA criteria for a disability.,The Veteran's left ACL tear, right ankle sprain, lower back strain, and right shoulder strain are all denied as not meeting VA criteria for a disability.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for diabetes, gum disease, hypertension, orthopedic foot disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, hepatitis C, skin disorder of the feet (claimed as trench foot), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and anxiety) due to errors in duty to assist.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is related to an in-service injury. The claim will be returned for further review.

The Board has found that a VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's left shoulder disability is related to his active duty service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and low back disabilities due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and potential secondary service connection theories.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service injury. The evidence shows a present disability and service incurrence of an injury, with continuity of symptomatology post-service.

The appeal for service connection of a bilateral foot disorder is dismissed. The appeals for service connection of OSA, cervical spine disorder, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left elbow disorder, right elbow disorder, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, and right ankle disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors, toxic exposure development needs, and examination scheduling issues.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that they are related to his active duty service.