The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder separation. The Veteran is asked to provide any additional relevant private treatment records and for a VA examiner to review his claims file and provide an opinion on whether his condition is related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the August 2014 VA examination did not address the etiology of the Veteran's shoulder separation, which was claimed to be due to combat-related activities during deployment. The Board also noted that eleven weeks after discharge, the Veteran reported a shoulder injury during his deployment.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder separation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 17, 2018
- Citation
- 18135596
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 18135596.
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 Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of September 14, 2015, finding that this was the later of the date of claim and the date entitlement arose. The Veteran previously satisfied the schedular requirements for a TDIU as of August 5, 2011.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder separation, left shoulder separation, and residuals of right 5th finger fracture. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of left 3rd middle finger fracture was also denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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.