Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to inconsistencies in the medical opinions and need for clarification of certain findings.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disorders due to conflicting medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection based on in-service injuries, but VA examiners have found no direct link between his current conditions and military service.

The Board has granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD from January 4, 2018 to March 29, 2021. The Veteran's right knee and right shoulder disabilities are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for his left shoulder strain, left ankle sprain, right knee sprain with patellar dislocation, and lumbosacral strain are being remanded due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence.,Further examination is required as the July 2013 VA audiological examination was inadequate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed right hand, left hand, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, and left knee disabilities are not related to service. The evidence does not show any in-service injury or disease, chronic symptoms during service, or treatment for these conditions.

The claims for service connection for right and left foot plantar fasciitis are granted. The claims for service connection for myofascial pain syndrome, claimed as full body weakness (including joint weakness), right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, and bilateral hearing loss disability are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate VA examinations and lack of medical evidence supporting the Veteran's assertions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's right shoulder disability and his military service. The Veteran will need a VA examination to address the opinion provided by Dr. M.M.

The Board has denied service connection for right knee and left ankle disabilities due to lack of current diagnoses. Service connection for a spine disability is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities, finding no evidence of a nexus to service. The case is remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder, knee, ankle, and right elbow disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions provided in July 2023. The VA is instructed to provide a supplemental opinion addressing the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his disabilities, including those related to a gunshot wound, hearing loss, tinnitus, and right foot fracture.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has remanded them for further development due to outstanding VA and private treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that he was not unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 23, 2004.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from December 9, 2015 to April 9, 2023 due to service-connected disabilities. The claim for TDIU prior to December 9, 2015 is remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a cyst/benign growth of shoulder and toenail fungus have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal before the Board.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds additional evidence supports a higher rating.,Both knees are currently rated at 30 percent. The Veteran's right knee has been found to have limitation of flexion to 15 degrees or less on flare-ups, warranting a higher 30 percent rating.,The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds additional evidence supports a higher 40 percent rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and right shoulder impingement syndrome and bicipital tendon tear have been denied as there is no evidence of a claim prior to the effective dates assigned.,The Veteran's GERD has been granted service connection secondary to medications used to treat his service-connected musculoskeletal disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder but remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient etiology opinions.