The Board has determined that additional VA examinations are needed for the Veteran's right shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as to determine the etiology of his current right ankle disability. The case is being remanded for these purposes.
The deciding factor: The need for additional medical examination was identified due to the passage of time since the last VA examinations and the Veteran's assertion that his conditions have worsened over time.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the right shoulder joint, Degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine with grade I spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 8, 2015
- Citation
- 1538176
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 1538176.
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 right shoulder joint has been rated at 20 percent for degenerative arthritis, which is the minimum rating available under Diagnostic Code 5201. The Board finds a remand necessary to assess the current severity of his disability post-surgery.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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