The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating of his right shoulder sprain was denied as the range of motion in his arm is not limited to midway between his side and shoulder level, which would warrant a higher disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating (30%) as it exceeded 90 degrees, warranting only a 20% rating.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder sprain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19104531
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for the remaining conditions, including hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an addendum medical opinion that fully considers the combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including any side effects from medications.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including asthma, respiratory issues, and other musculoskeletal conditions due to the lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses or a link to in-service events.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as she withdrew her claims for an increased rating and opposition to the proposed reduction in her right shoulder condition rating.
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