The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his right shoulder and right ankle disabilities, as well as to determine if he has a left knee disability.
The deciding factor: Additional medical examination is required to properly evaluate the current status of the Veteran's service-connected conditions and any new or changed symptoms related to his claimed left knee disability.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder rotator cuff tear, tenosynovitis, chronic strain of the anterior tibial fibular ligament of the right ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2016
- Citation
- 1628638
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 1628638.
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 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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a right shoulder rotator cuff tear has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not result in his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to June 19, 2019. The Board denied an earlier effective date for the TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error and insufficient medical opinions regarding service connection for right shoulder condition.
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