The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient explanation in the February 2014 VA examination regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current left shoulder disorder and his service, specifically his motor vehicle accident. The examiner also did not address the Veteran's contention that the shoulder was related to his service-connected back disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the February 2014 VA examination opinion required clarification due to insufficient explanation of the relationship between the current left shoulder disorder and service, particularly regarding the absence of complaints in service records.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder degenerative changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 13, 2017
- Citation
- 1727038
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 1727038.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine degenerative changes, left shoulder degenerative changes, lumbar spine degenerative changes, and right shoulder osteoarthritis due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran was not afforded VA examinations for these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for right shoulder degenerative changes, left shoulder degenerative changes, neck disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and left hand arthritis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder disability, other than strain, is proximately due to his service-connected knee disabilities and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran meets the criteria for VR&E benefits, other than employment services, to include training in pursuit of a career as an attorney. The decision is based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his vocational goal.
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