The Veteran's right shoulder impingement is currently rated at 30 percent from October 4, 2017. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as the evidence does not show his range of motion has been limited to midway between the side and shoulder level.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s right shoulder impingement was previously rated at 20% prior to October 4, 2017. However, from that date forward, there is no evidence showing a limitation of motion to the extent required for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5201.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Impingement
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19101159
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for PTSD, shoulder impingement, shoulder arthroscopic scars, painful scar of the right shoulder, and knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with chondromalacia and Baker's cyst. Service connection was also denied for bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate medical opinions in a previous decision. The Veteran's disabilities are related to his military service, particularly his September 1965 motor vehicle accident.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's right shoulder impingement was rated as 20 percent from April 30, 2003, to August 7, 2005; 30 percent from August 8, 2005, to April 22, 2008; and 40 percent from April 23, 2008.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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