The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disorder is being remanded due to deficiencies in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the onset and etiology of his diagnosed chronic left shoulder disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not consider the Veteran's competent and credible reports of having consistently experienced left shoulder problems since service, which may be relevant to determining the onset and etiology of any diagnosed chronic left shoulder disability.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder rotator cuff tear, left labral tear, AC joint arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2013
- Citation
- 1331495
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 1331495.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the current medical opinion is inadequate and the record is incomplete without other opinions. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disorder.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including rotator cuff tear with degenerative arthritis and tendonitis, finding that it is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to incomplete service records and inadequate efforts in obtaining them. The Veteran's service treatment records (STRs) and service personnel records (SPRs) are unclear, and further searches may be necessary.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for right knee strain, left shoulder rotator cuff tear, and right shoulder rotator cuff tear due to inadequate medical opinions in the November 2020 rating decision. The VA is required to obtain an addendum opinion from a clinician to determine if these conditions are related to service.
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