Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, effective April 1, 2023. These disabilities are found to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected loss of use of both feet and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has ordered a remand for the Veteran to be scheduled for a VA examination assessing his right shoulder condition, including imaging of the shoulder. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's claimed right shoulder condition is related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA records and requests for non-VA treatment records. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 20% prior to July 10, 2023, and at 40% thereafter.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the addition of new evidence not previously considered by the AOJ.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development and examination, including obtaining VA treatment records from July 2021 to present and private treatment records from Tulane. The Veteran's right shoulder disability is being reviewed to determine if it was caused by or made worse by VA treatment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings for lumbar strain and separated acromioclavicular joint (AC) of the right shoulder have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted, and the effective dates are not specified.,Issues related to rating increases and earlier effective dates remain pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic headache, left shoulder disability, and allergic rhinitis due to inadequate VA medical opinions. Additional VA examinations are needed to address continuity of symptoms and etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee and right shoulder disabilities due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking these conditions to active service. The Veteran's VA examiner provided negative nexus opinions, and the Board is requesting additional information about the qualifications of this examiner.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral foot, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities. The claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, and hypertension are remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right shoulder condition and sleep apnea. The remaining issues of service connection for arthritis of the bilateral feet, bilateral hearing loss disability, and respiratory disorder are remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen several service connection claims, including for bilateral eye disability, psychiatric disorder, OSA, hypertension, cervical spine, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left wrist disability (CTS), right wrist disability (CTS), left lower extremity disability (residuals of left femur fracture), gout, sinus disability (sinusitis), breathing disability (allergic rhinitis), colon cancer, colon polyps, hemorrhoids, and H. Pylori infection (claimed as stomach disability). These claims are now remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that there are incomplete records and remands the cases for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disability, back disability, and bilateral foot condition are being remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability, HPV, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to inadequate or insufficient opinions in the VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to schedule new VA examinations and obtain additional medical opinions as needed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to determine appropriate ratings and service connection for his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the severity of his left shoulder, right hip, and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder, right shoulder, and lower back conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand two issues: the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder condition and his request for an increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the spine. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left shoulder condition, and the severity of his degenerative arthritis of the spine.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, do not meet the threshold for a schedular TDIU prior to February 3, 2021. The Board finds no reasonable possibility of unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.