Shoulder Board decisions

The Board denied attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a June 2022 rating decision for service connection of right shoulder strain and left elbow radial head fracture. The appeal is dismissed as the June 2022 decision was the initial decision on the merits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder disabilities as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability due to a lack of adequate medical opinions addressing whether the current shoulder disabilities are caused or aggravated by a fall resulting from the right knee buckling.

The Board has remanded the claims for neck, back, bilateral shoulder, right elbow, right knee, and bilateral ankle conditions due to a lack of examination and incomplete medical records. The Veteran's statements about injuries sustained during service are considered credible.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection.,A disability evaluation of 30 percent for a left shoulder disability has also been granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new medical opinion is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder condition.

The Veteran's GERD is granted with a 30 percent evaluation. The claims for service connection of left knee and right shoulder strain are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for Athlete's foot, bilateral hearing loss (BHL), and bilateral tinnitus were denied. The claim for acne scars was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder disability. The claim will be reconsidered with a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, and pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Veteran's current diagnoses of right shoulder osteoarthritis and left shoulder disability are not related to his military service.,The Board found no credible evidence that the Veteran had symptoms of either shoulder during service or within one year of separation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder conditions due to inadequate examination and opinion. The Veteran contends his current shoulder disabilities are related to active duty service, including parachute jumps and carrying heavy gear.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder (non-dominant), and non-allergic rhinitis with throat irritation were denied. The claim for left knee instability was granted with an effective date of January 12, 2007.,The Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for non-allergic rhinitis with throat irritation was dismissed due to lack of timely appeal and no new relevant evidence received within the applicable period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder and elbow disabilities are remanded due to a failure to obtain medical opinions addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for eczema and remanded the issue of service connection for a right shoulder condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities were evaluated. The Board denied increased ratings for all three conditions as the evidence did not support a higher rating based on current functional impairment.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a right shoulder disorder, finding that the Veteran did not have current disabilities related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to March 6, 2020, did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU. However, VA policy requires that all Veterans who are unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of service-connected disabilities be rated totally disabled. The Board finds remand necessary to refer the claim to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic pneumonia, right shoulder disorder, left elbow disorder, neck disorder, osteopenia of the bilateral hands, wrists, hips, ankles and feet, and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine has been denied. The Board found no current disability related to any of these conditions at the time of filing or during the pendency of his claim.,The Veteran's assertions regarding in-service injuries were not credible due to a significant lapse in time between service and post-service medical treatment, as well as inconsistencies with contemporaneous records.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left shoulder disabilities, cervical spine disability, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right hand, and major depressive disorder with PTSD caused a need for regular aid and attendance on a daily basis. The Board found that SMC based on this need was warranted.

The Board has previously denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder condition. The current decision again finds remand necessary due to inadequate opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disability.