Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to unresolved issues regarding his shoulder, hip, back, and neck disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis, finding that his service-connected right shoulder and right ankle disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's low back disability is granted as secondary to his service-connected left knee condition.,Service connection for ED is denied. The Board found no evidence of a direct relationship between the condition and active duty service.

Your appeal has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a psychiatric disorder claimed as anxiety, a left shoulder disability, bilateral shin splints, and toenail fungus of both feet.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of various disabilities, including a right shoulder disability, bilateral pes planus, TBI, and other conditions were denied as the Veteran failed to appear at scheduled VA examinations.,Service connection claims for back disability, left foot disability, right elbow disability, and chest pain were also denied due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that the VA addendum medical opinions obtained in August 2020 are inadequate for adjudication purposes and requires additional medical comment. The claims of service connection for a right shoulder disability, to include as secondary to a cervical spine disability, and for a cervical spine disability, to include as secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability, are remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension and left shoulder disability for further development, including obtaining addendum medical opinions to address service connection.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a left shoulder disability and for a compensable rating for hemorrhoids prior to December 4, 2020, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, right and left ankle disorders, right and left knee disorders, low back disorder, and acquired psychiatric disorder (other than PTSD) have all been denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities meeting VA's regulatory definition of a hearing loss disability or any other qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for joint pain and muscle spasm is dismissed. The claims of service connection for chronic musculoligamentous strain of the left shoulder, a right hip disability, and tinea corpus of the body and tinea pedis of the bilateral feet are remanded.

The Veteran's left shoulder strain, rotator cuff tendonitis, post coracoclavicular ligament tear, and degenerative changes are granted as service-connected.,An initial 10 percent rating for bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis is granted from February 28, 2014 through October 16, 2022. The Veteran's condition was relieved by arch supports during this period.,Since October 17, 2022, the Veteran's bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis are rated at 30 percent due to symptoms such as pain, characteristic callosities, decreased longitudinal arch height on weight-bearing, marked pronation, extreme tenderness of the plantar surfaces, and severe spasm of the Achilles tendon.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, left elbow, and right elbow disabilities due to inadequate evidence in the October 2015 VA examination. The case is also remanded for an extraschedular rating consideration for tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected left shoulder disability and scars, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to July 28, 2021, or 40 percent thereafter.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder, right foot (including plantar fasciitis), and left foot disabilities. The conditions are deemed to be related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for recurrent right and left shoulder disabilities, as there is no evidence that these conditions originated during active service.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee PFPS and service connection for a right shoulder disability were both denied. The denial was based on the lack of evidence supporting these claims.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for an updated opinion on the combined functional impact of his service-connected disabilities prior to October 2, 2019. Additionally, updated SSA records are needed.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability and DM are granted as service-connected, with the right shoulder condition attributed to an inservice injury and DM presumed due to herbicide exposure in Korea.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability. The claims are being returned to VA for additional evaluations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the service connection for right shoulder condition. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed again with a new examination and medical opinion.