Shoulder decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot disorder and left clavicle or shoulder condition have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal in the legacy system.

The Veteran's claims for left knee strain, right knee strain, lumbosacral strain, and tinnitus have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the Veteran's shoulder and shin disability claims.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and the Board has remanded his claims for increased ratings due to insufficient evidence or further clarification of his conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected right shoulder rotator cuff tear with degenerative arthritis status post rotator cuff repair, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion.

The reduction in rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy from 20 percent to noncompensable effective March 1, 2021, was improper and the 20 percent disability rating is restored.,The reduction in rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy from 20 percent to noncompensable effective March 1, 2021, was improper and the 20 percent disability rating is restored.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, which has been granted for SMC purposes.

The Veteran's service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder was granted, effective August 4, 2023.,Effective dates prior to January 18, 2023, were denied for lumbosacral strain, bilateral hip strain, and supraventricular arrhythmia. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension was granted effective August 23, 2019, but no earlier.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction was granted effective March 21, 2019.

The Board has determined that the AOJ committed pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors by failing to ensure that pertinent VA opinions were adequate and by failing to afford the Veteran VA examinations. The claims for service connection are therefore remanded for further medical development.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of September 21, 2021 for a 40 percent staged rating for right shoulder disorder is granted. The effective date will be set as September 21, 2021.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations, service connection, and TDIU have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to provide a VA examination prior to the issuance of the rating decision on appeal. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder and degenerative arthritis are being reviewed for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for OSA, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition due to potential errors in duty-to-assist obligations. The Veteran contends his conditions are related to service exposure or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder is granted. The Board finds new and relevant evidence has been received, including lay statements and VA progress notes indicating the Veteran had right shoulder pain and degenerative joint disease (DJD). Service connection will be remanded due to outstanding physical therapy records.

The Veteran's migraine headaches have been granted a maximum 50 percent rating, which is the highest available under current criteria.,Service connection has been established for left hip and low back disorders.

The Veteran's bilateral shoulder peripheral neuropathy is granted as secondary to his service-connected left shoulder dislocation with limited arm motion, and a rating of 30 percent for his peripheral vestibular disorder is also granted.

The Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to a lack of explanation in the April 2021 decision regarding whether participation in the program was in his best interest. The Board finds that the Veteran requires personal care services due to disabilities including posttraumatic stress disorder, tension headaches, and others.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that there was no current diagnosis of chronic sinusitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, or right quadricep strain. For the issues related to bilateral plantar fasciitis, cervical spine disability, neck surgery scar, shoulder disabilities, ankle disabilities, knee disabilities, allergic rhinitis, and migraine headaches, the evidence did not support a finding that they were incurred in service.

Your appeal for service connection and TDIU has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board cannot issue a decision on these claims as they are no longer pending.

The appeal seeking revision of the March 1999 rating decision that denied entitlement to an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for a right shoulder disability is denied. The March 1999 rating decision, which awarded an initial noncompensable (zero percent) rating for the service-connected degenerative arthritis of the right ankle, is revised to reflect an award of an initial rating of 10 percent for a right ankle disability.