The Board has determined that the November 2002 EMG test may have caused or aggravated additional disability, specifically left shoulder pain and numbness. However, due to insufficient evidence addressing all relevant factors, the case is being remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms of increased shoulder pain and numbness following the November 2002 EMG test are not definitively linked to the procedure without additional examination or medical opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Pain, Numbness in Left Arm and Hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19144618
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (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 19144618.
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 Board has granted service connection for right shoulder pain, left shoulder pain, and left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome. The conditions are considered to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for the listed conditions, and the Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for low back, right shoulder, left shoulder, right hip, and left hip disorders based on the Veteran's active duty service. The conditions are considered to be directly related to his military duties.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left eye condition, bilateral knee pain, low back pain, and bilateral shoulder pain due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's STRs are incomplete and need to be obtained, as well as VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed disabilities.
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