Shoulder decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a failure to provide adequate notice and assistance in scheduling VA examinations.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) because the increase in disability occurred more than one year before the claim was filed, and the earliest possible effective date is August 19, 2022.

The Board has determined that the June 2016 rating decision was not received, and therefore the February 2018 notice of disagreement (NOD) filed thereto is considered timely. The appeal pertains to service connection for right ankle, right shoulder, and neck disorders.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a 10 percent rating for a painful left shoulder scar, finding that evidence did not reflect a painful or unstable left shoulder scar prior to January 13, 2023.

The Board has decided that the claims for service connection related to various conditions should be remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to provide proper notice of the Veteran's right to a hearing on a supplemental claim.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and bilateral ankle disabilities due to a lack of credible evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The remaining issues are remanded for further development and examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation and consideration of his claims.

The Veteran's migraines are granted as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. The Board has also remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the remaining issues.

The Veteran's attempts to appeal the denial of service connection for low back pain were dismissed as untimely.,The Veteran's appeals regarding the grant of service connection for other specified anxiety disorder were also dismissed as untimely.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for right shoulder disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded due to a duty to assist error in not obtaining VA treatment records and adequate VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and notification issues, including a lack of STRs from the Veteran's service period and improper notification for VA examinations. The claim will be reconsidered with additional development.

The Board has granted a 50 percent rating for left total shoulder arthroplasty, but has remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (psychiatric disability), tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, lumbosacral strain with levoconvex midthoracic scoliosis (lumbar spine disability), right shoulder dislocation with rotator cuff tendonitis and shoulder strain (right shoulder disability), left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis (left shoulder disability), right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (left knee disability), right ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (right ankle disability), and left ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (left ankle disability) has been granted. The effective date for these decisions is November 28, 2022.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and initial ratings have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinions in the VA examinations, and a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current right shoulder disability had onset during service.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and the other service connection claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The VA has not assigned a rating for any of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to obtain private treatment records. The Veteran's right hip, knee, shoulder disabilities are being reviewed again with new medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for fatigue, right foot pes planus, and higher ratings for thoracolumbar strain with levoscoliosis are being remanded. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for thoracolumbar strain with levoscoliosis, left shoulder strain, and GERD remain denied.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for fatigue, right foot pes planus, and higher ratings for thoracolumbar strain with levoscoliosis are being remanded. The effective dates for the awards of service connection for thoracolumbar strain with levoscoliosis, left shoulder strain, and GERD remain denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims are not granted as there is no current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.