Shoulder Board decisions

The Veteran's right shoulder strain is related to his combat service and granted service connection. The claim for chronic sinusitis (including respiratory disabilities) is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for left upper extremity disabilities, including as secondary to a cervical spine disability, are remanded due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's low back condition and left shoulder condition are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's chronic stomach condition (claimed as residuals of appendix removal) and GERD are remanded for further examination and opinion.,The Veteran's allergic rhinitis is remanded for a VA opinion regarding its preexistence in service.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, right foot, and left foot conditions. The remaining issues of service connection for right hip, left hip, right knee, and left knee conditions are remanded.

The Board has found that the matter must be remanded again for substantial compliance with the previous remand. The Veteran's VA Mountain Home Health Care records from November 2003 to October 2017 are missing, and an addendum medical opinion is needed regarding the right shoulder disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA clinician to provide an opinion on how the Veteran's medications for her service-connected shoulder disabilities affect her ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied across multiple conditions, including shoulder impingement syndromes, psychiatric disorders, musculoskeletal issues, and metabolic conditions. The Board found no evidence to support the requested higher ratings or service connections.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, right shoulder and ankle disabilities, and hypertension, were denied. The Board found no evidence of current diagnoses or in-service incurrence of these conditions.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and has remanded the issues of service connection for left shoulder disability and right shoulder disability. The Veteran's claims are not supported by evidence showing direct service connection or other theories.

The Veteran's left wrist disorder claim has been reopened and granted service connection.,Service connection for her left foot plantar fasciitis is granted. The Board found that the current symptoms are related to service.,There is no evidence of a current right shoulder disability, thus denying service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and an examination to determine if any right or left shoulder disabilities are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, right elbow, and left elbow disabilities. However, it granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling an examination.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 40 percent for limitation of motion from May 7, 2018. A separate rating of 30 percent is assigned for humerus impairment as of July 26, 2022. The TDIU claim is granted effective from July 26, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and conducting adequate VA examinations.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and an undiagnosed illness (claimed as fatigue). The Veteran's bilateral hand disability other than the right little finger contusion mallet finger is also remanded. Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders remains in dispute.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to lack of current diagnosis meeting VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected left shoulder disability due to inadequate prior examinations and the need for updated treatment records.

The Board has found that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings in hypertension, tension headaches, and right shoulder disability require additional evidence due to his assertions of worsening symptoms since previous examinations. The Board has therefore ordered remand for further evaluations.

The Veteran's right hand disability, triggered fingers in the second, third, and fourth digits of his right hand, is granted as secondary to service-connected right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Board also grants service connection for a right shoulder disorder and left shoulder disorder, both considered secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been found to preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, resulting in a grant of TDIU effective October 21, 2014.