The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected left upper extremity disabilities, including left supraspinatus tendinopathy and left acromioclavicular joint arthritis. The issues on appeal are related to increased ratings for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The November 2017 VA examination was deemed inadequate due to the examiner's inability to provide a reliable prediction of decreased functional ability during flare-ups or when the left extremity is used repeatedly over a period of time, and the failure to ascertain adequate information from relevant sources regarding frequency, duration, characteristics, severity, or functional loss during such scenarios.
- Claimed conditions
- left supraspinatus tendinopathy, left acromioclavicular (AC) joint arthritis, left upper extremity disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18139953
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 18139953.
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 withdrew the appeals for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include generalized anxiety and depression; obstructive sleep apnea; left upper extremity disability; and right upper extremity disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a left upper extremity disability to obtain an adequate medical opinion addressing both direct and secondary theories of service connection.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for left upper extremity, right upper extremity, and low back disabilities was dismissed due to failure to respond to requests for clarification regarding the preferred docket.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for heart, upper and lower extremity, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus disabilities, and TDIU due to insufficient medical evidence.
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