The Veteran's current bilateral rotator cuff tears are unclear as to whether they were incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The Board finds that a VA medical opinion is needed to determine the etiology of the diagnosed rotator cuff tears and their relationship to service-connected shoulder bursitis.
The deciding factor: The Board found uncertainty regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current bilateral rotator cuff tears, which are unclear as to whether they were incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The Board also noted that the November 2014 VA examiner failed to address whether the Veteran’s right and left shoulder bursitis are aggravated by his diagnosed rotator cuff tears.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder bursitis, right shoulder bursitis, bilateral rotator cuff tears
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 23, 2018
- Citation
- 18128503
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 18128503.
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 Veteran's appeal for revising the May 2013 rating decision regarding initial, 10 percent disability ratings for left and right shoulder disabilities due to CUE is dismissed because it is legally precluded by the doctrine of res judicata.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder and left shoulder disorders, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left shoulder disabilities were denied because she failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's bilateral ankle collateral ligament sprain, left shoulder bursitis, right hip bursitis, and right knee arthritis are being remanded for further evaluation due to inadequate opinions in the previous decision.
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