The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder arthralgia and tendonitis, as well as lumbago. The Veteran's treatment records indicate he sought medical attention for shoulder and back pain while in service. However, no VA examiner has provided an opinion on whether these disabilities are related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran did not receive a VA examination addressing the relationship between his current diagnosed bilateral shoulder disability (arthralgia and tendonitis) and lumbago and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral shoulder arthralgia, calcific tendinosis of the right shoulder, calcific tendinosis of the left shoulder, degenerative changes of the right shoulder, degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 21, 2018
- Citation
- 18113168
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 18113168.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all issues related to the Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings as they were not properly appealed and the Veteran withdrew his appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development due to procedural issues and need for additional medical examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of any residuals of a fracture of T-8 and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the thoracic spine.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development regarding his claims of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a higher rating for DDD of the thoracic spine. The claim for tinnitus remains denied.
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