Shoulder Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the severity of the Veteran's right shoulder impingement syndrome and whether higher or separate ratings are warranted for reported symptoms such as sleep impairment, crepitus, and problems with shoulder rotation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation due to VA medical treatment, as well as his claim of a left knee disability secondary to lower extremity radiculopathy. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further action.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, right bicep, and neck disabilities as secondary to lower extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate medical opinions regarding causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder strain and rotator cuff tear are currently rated at 20 percent. The Board has granted a 30 percent rating, effective from the date of the September 2022 rating decision.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the decision-making process for some of the Veteran's claims and has ordered a new examination to address these issues. The Veteran is being asked to provide more information about his cervical spine, left arm/shoulder, and bilateral foot conditions, as well as any secondary service connection claims related to his varicocelectomy.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is granted a rating of 30 percent, effective May 25, 2018.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a left shoulder strain, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Veteran's right knee disorder, lower gastrointestinal disorder, and related shoulder disorders are being remanded for further evaluation due to the need for additional medical opinions. The lumbar spine disorder is also being remanded as it involves a secondary service connection claim.

The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at 30 percent, and his TDIU is granted effective October 27, 2010. The Board found that the combination of service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since then.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasoning in the July 2022 VA examination regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder strain is related to his service. The examiner did not provide a clear explanation for accepting or rejecting the Veteran's reports of pain and symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for a separate rating for urinary incontinence as a neurological manifestation of his service-connected lumbosacral strain has been denied. The Board found that the medical evidence does not support a finding that the urinary incontinence is related to his back disability. For the TDIU claim, the Veteran meets the schedular criteria but fails to provide sufficient evidence regarding the economic component as detailed by VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to deficiencies in the record, including obtaining outstanding private treatment records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis are presumed related to his active-duty service.,The Veteran's neck disability, bilateral pes planus, sleep apnea, chronic hypersomnolence, chronic fatigue, chronic diarrhea, chronic memory loss, and mood disorder (due to an undiagnosed illness) may be due to exposure to environmental hazards during his Gulf War service.

The Board has remanded the claims for right shoulder tendonitis, left knee instability, left knee arthritis, and related disabilities due to inadequate evidence. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also being remanded.

Service connection for chronic bronchitis is granted under the PACT Act. Service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and respiratory condition due to environmental hazard exposure are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and service. The claims will be reconsidered after the necessary examinations are completed.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of evidence showing more than limitation of motion midway between side and shoulder level.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, as secondary to his service-connected neck disability. The case is being returned for further development and an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hip arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral ankle arthritis, bilateral foot arthritis, cervical spine arthritis, and lower back arthritis due to insufficient medical opinions and incomplete records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder disability and for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The claims are being remanded because the March 2020 VA examination report did not comply with the holding in Correia v. McDonald, 28 Vet. App. 158 (2016), and there were pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors regarding obtaining private treatment records.