The Board has determined that the Veteran's hernia, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, and residuals of a left great toe fracture may be related to service. However, additional medical opinions are needed to determine if these conditions were incurred during active duty.
The deciding factor: The current evidence does not provide sufficient information to establish whether the Veteran's current hernia, left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, or residuals of a left great toe fracture is directly related to his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Hernia, Left Shoulder Rotator Cuff Tendonitis, Residuals of Left Great Toe Fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19115345
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,170 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19115345.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's left shoulder disability has been rated at 20% since December 2020, and the Board has granted a maximum schedular rating of 30% based on limitation of motion to 25 degrees from the side.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to procedural issues and a need for further development, including scheduling a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for VR&E services as his vocational goal of becoming a scuba instructor was not reasonably feasible due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hernia is being remanded due to the submission of new evidence that tends to prove or disprove a matter at issue in the claim.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.