Shoulder decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims of service connection for jaw injury, TMJ, and right shoulder condition have been granted.

The appeal seeking service connection for a right shoulder disability and low back disability is dismissed. The appeals seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left shoulder disability, and neck disability are remanded.

The appeals for service connection of various conditions have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran, who was the original claimant.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disorder, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis, due to his service-connected right shoulder disability.

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

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for TDIU and all service connection claims, stating he is satisfied with the decisions made regarding his VA disability rating.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to attempt rescheduling the Veteran's missed VA examinations.

The Board has determined that additional examinations are needed to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected left shoulder tendinitis and cervical spine disability, including any neurological manifestations. The current evaluations for these conditions remain remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for multiple conditions including right elbow, right hand fingers, left shin splints, left shoulder, right wrist, and right shoulder conditions as there is no persuasive evidence of current disabilities.

The Veteran's migraines, right shoulder bursitis, right elbow condition, bilateral knee conditions, and PFB are all found to be related to service. The Veteran is granted increased ratings for his left pinky scar.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for the regular aid and attendance of another person or housebound status is denied as he does not require such assistance.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability and a right knee disability due to incomplete records, need for medical opinions, and need for further proceedings.

The Veteran's right knee instability is granted with a maximum rating of 30 percent, effective from February 24, 2018. Service connection for left wrist fracture residuals, right hip fracture residuals, and right sided rib fractures are also granted as secondary to service-connected right knee disability. A TDIU is granted effective April 2, 2025.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disorders, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current diagnoses and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, hearing loss, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability are remanded due to a failure to provide the Veteran with VA examinations prior to adjudication of his claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, left shoulder arthritis, right ankle and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational history.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder strain, finding that his current condition is related to his active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right elbow tenosynovitis and left elbow tenosynovitis, but denied service connection for the other claimed conditions. The Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and bursitis, as well as his left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and bursitis, are not considered related to service. His left hip bursitis is also not supported by evidence of record.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for effective dates prior to specific dates for various service-connected disabilities of the hands and ankles.,For conditions involving the right shoulder, left elbow, and fingers, the Board found that the initial ratings were not met before or after the specified dates.

The Board denied the Veteran's eligibility for enrollment in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) due to her not requiring personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months based on an inability to perform one or more activities of daily living, a need for supervision or protection, or a need for regular or extensive instruction without which the ability to function in daily life would be seriously impaired.