The Veteran's right shoulder disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to January 2014, but has since been rated at the maximum schedular rating.,For the period between January 2014 and November 2015, the Veteran's right shoulder disability did not warrant an increased rating beyond the current 20 percent assigned.,From November 2015 to January 2016, the Veteran's right shoulder disability did not meet the criteria for a higher than 30 percent rating.,Since January 2016, the Veteran has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 40 percent for his right shoulder disability.,For the period prior to January 2016, the Veteran's left shoulder disability did not warrant an increased rating beyond the current 20 percent assigned.,Since January 2016, the Veteran has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 30 percent for his left shoulder disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s right shoulder disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating prior to January 2014 due to limitations in range of motion and functional loss. From January 2014 to November 2015, his disability remained at the maximum schedular rating.,Between November 2015 and January 2016, the Veteran’s right shoulder disability did not meet the criteria for a higher than 30 percent rating due to limitations in range of motion. Since January 2016, he has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 40 percent.,For his left shoulder disability, prior to January 2016, there was no evidence that it met the criteria for a higher than 20 percent rating. Since January 2016, he has been rated at the maximum schedular rating of 30 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Disability, Left Shoulder Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 24, 2018
- Citation
- 1804572
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 1804572.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date before April 1, 2018 for a 20% rating for left shoulder disability was denied. The appeal also resulted in the assignment of a 20% rating from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2018, and a TDIU granted from April 1, 2018 to September 3, 2025.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding insufficient evidence to establish an in-service event or injury related to his shoulders. The Veteran's current shoulder conditions are not linked to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder disability, low back condition, bilateral knee disabilities, and left shoulder strain have been granted service connection. The Veteran's low back condition has been increased to a 40 percent evaluation, while the bilateral knee conditions remain at their current 10 percent evaluations.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.