The Veteran's left shoulder and low back disabilities have been rated, but the current ratings are less than what he claims. The Board has ordered a new VA examination to assess the severity of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The prior examinations did not comply with established guidelines for assessing joint function, including range of motion testing under Correia v. McDonald and inquiry into flare-ups as per Sharp v. Shulkin.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder biceps tendonitis, status post subacromial decompression with mild acromial joint arthritis, lumbar spine, myofascial pain syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18111671
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 18111671.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's left shoulder disability was previously rated at 20 percent prior to July 27, 2015 and remains rated at 20 percent as of September 1, 2015. The appeal for increased ratings is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for psychiatric disability, left shoulder biceps tendonitis and acromioclavicular joint arthrosis and osteoarthritis, right elbow disability, major depressive disorder, other specified trauma and stress related disorder, and anxiety disorder unspecified have been granted. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities began during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination and additional development of records, as per Correia v. McDonald (2016). The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected left shoulder biceps tendonitis remains on appeal.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder biceps tendonitis. The right shoulder disability is currently under consideration and will be addressed in a separate remand.
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