The Veteran's right shoulder sprain is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is secondary to his service-connected left shoulder degenerative changes.,The Veteran's left hand numbness and right hand numbness are being remanded for a VA examination to determine their relationship to his service-connected conditions or other factors.,The Veteran's left shoulder degenerative changes are being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, including range of motion limitations due to pain.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with thoracic spine degenerative changes is being remanded for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition, including range of motion limitations due to pain.,The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae is being remanded for a VA dermatologist opinion on whether his topical treatment constitutes systemic therapy.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.
The deciding factor: The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine if the right shoulder sprain is secondary to the service-connected left shoulder degenerative changes, and whether the numbness of both hands are related to his service-connected conditions or other factors.,The Board finds that additional development is needed to assess the current severity of the Veteran's left shoulder degenerative changes, including range of motion limitations due to pain. The Veteran also needs a VA examination for his back disability, and whether his pseudofolliculitis barbae requires systemic therapy as per Johnson v. Shulkin.,The TDIU claim is being remanded because it is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Sprain, Left Hand Numbness, Right Hand Numbness, Left Shoulder Degenerative Changes, Lumbosacral Strain with Thoracic Spine Degenerative Changes, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18144687
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 18144687.
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 Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied because the evidence did not show that he was unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted an initial 10 percent disability rating for service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae, finding that the condition affects less than 40 percent of the face and neck.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as the criteria for a TDIU were not met prior to September 30, 2019.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased rating of right little finger disability and service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae were denied. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to missing private treatment records.
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