The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder/arm disability, as well as her increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the left wrist and carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
The deciding factor: Additional medical evidence is needed to determine whether the Veteran's current disabilities are related to service or her service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder/Arm Disability, Degenerative Joint Disease of Left Wrist, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome of Left Wrist
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2018
- Citation
- 18119683
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 18119683.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left shoulder/arm disability, right shoulder/arm disability, left foot/ankle disability, and right foot/ankle disability are being remanded. The examiner must consider exposure to toxins in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations as well as whether any of his claimed disabilities are unexplained illnesses or MUCMIs.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral ear pain, sinusitis, lung mass, and pneumonia are being remanded. The examiner must consider whether these symptoms are related to his service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations, including consideration of whether they are undiagnosed illnesses or MUCMIs (including fibromyalgia).,The Veteran's claims for service connection for an enlarged heart, hematochezia, and colon polyps are being remanded. The examiner must consider whether these conditions began during or are related to his active duty service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for thalassemia is being remanded. The examiner must determine if the condition is a congenital defect or disease and whether it was incurred or aggravated by service.
- Denied
The Veteran does not have a diagnosed disability of the left shoulder or arm other than service-connected left upper extremity radiculopathy and service-connected weakness, fatigue, and pain of the left upper extremity. Symptomatology in the left shoulder/arm has been shown to be due to the already service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's current left wrist and neurological disability of the left upper extremity below the elbow are not related to his service-connected left elbow disability, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left wrist warrants a disability rating of 20 percent, based on favorable ankylosis in 20 to 30 degrees dorsiflexion.
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.