The Board granted an initial 20 percent rating for the left shoulder disorder prior to January 23, 2001 and a 20 percent staged rating effective January 23, 2001.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the veteran's left shoulder disability was manifested by subjective complaints of numbness and popping, suggestive of recurrent dislocation or nonunion of the clavicle or scapula, with loose movement or malunion of the clavicle or scapula. The Board found that this warranted a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5203.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 7, 2006
- Citation
- 0619889
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,440 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0619889.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, and anxiety disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly regarding his shoulder disorders and nasal surgeries. The claims for service connection have been remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not being granted earlier than November 25, 2019.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disorders due to inadequate etiology opinions in the previous decision. The case will be reviewed with a VA examiner to determine if there is any relationship between the Veteran's current shoulder conditions and his military service.
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