The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disability and entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The VA is required to provide an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's right shoulder disability, considering his reported fall in April 2010 and the medical literature on ankle instability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the June 2019 examiner’s assessment was inadequate as it did not fully consider the impact of the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee and ankle disabilities on his right shoulder disability. The Board also noted that the issue of TDIU is inextricably intertwined with the remanded claim for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder arthropathy, Right shoulder strain, Right rotator cuff tendonitis, Right acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19172979
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 19172979.
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 Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) as there is no evidence that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions leave her in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder strain, finding that the Veteran's condition began during his military service and is related to an in-service injury.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder strain and migraine headaches are granted. The claim for migraine headaches is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.
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