The Veteran's right shoulder disability is now rated at 30 percent effective May 17, 2019. The previous rating of 20 percent has been increased to reflect the current level of impairment.
The deciding factor: The most recent VA examination showed flexion and abduction to 70 degrees with no evidence of ankylosis or dislocation, which meets the criteria for a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5201.
- Claimed conditions
- Postoperative Bristow repair for anterior dislocation of the right shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20000936
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 170 · Granted: 18% (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 20000936.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's right shoulder disability was manifested by flexion to no worse than 130 degrees, abduction to no worse than 110 degrees, with no evidence of ankylosis, impairment of the clavicle or scapula, or impairment of the humerus. As a result, his claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to May 17, 2019 was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further examination and evaluation of the Veteran's right shoulder disability, including whether he suffers from an impairment of the humerus. The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected right shoulder disability.
- Denied
The Veteran's right shoulder disability is manifested by flexion to no worse than 130 degrees, abduction to no worse than 110 degrees. The Board finds that the criteria for a higher rating have not been met.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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