The Veteran's ratings for his right shoulder disorder and PTSD are being remanded due to insufficient evidence of current severity.
The deciding factor: The Veteran testified that the assigned ratings do not reflect his current level of disability, particularly regarding pain and functional loss in his right shoulder, and suicidal ideations in his PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder disorder, Posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2018
- Citation
- 18143759
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 18143759.
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 service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a right shoulder disorder as there was no probative evidence of current disabilities as defined by VA.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to February 14, 2025, as the evidence did not show that he was precluded from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD alone precludes him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective December 20, 2021.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for REM sleep disorder but granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder that is secondary to a service-connected lower extremity disability.
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.