The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right shoulder and low back disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a comprehensive orthopedic examination.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has alleged that his symptoms have worsened since his last VA examination in April 2013, and he has provided specific allegations of increased functional impairment. The Board finds it necessary to obtain relevant VA treatment records and schedule the Veteran for an updated VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- acromioclavicular separation of the right shoulder, degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine at L2-L5
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2014
- Citation
- 1425304
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 1425304.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder, lumbar spine DDD, and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted. The Veteran is currently assigned a 20 percent rating for each condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his Social Security Administration records and VA Vocational Rehabilitation folder. He also needs a new medical opinion regarding the nature of his neurological head pain and right upper extremity disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected acromioclavicular separation of the right shoulder was granted effective September 10, 2009.,Service connection for mild degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder was also established as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability does not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and the Board finds that his claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is denied.
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