The Board has denied a higher rating for the right shoulder disability and granted a separate 20 percent rating for limitation of range of motion. The lumbosacral strain issue was dismissed due to an untimely Notice of Disagreement, and service connection for the left shoulder disability is remanded due to a duty to assist error.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's right shoulder disability to his active service, leading to denial of the higher rating claim. The lumbosacral strain issue was dismissed as the Veteran did not timely file a Notice of Disagreement. Service connection for the left shoulder disability is remanded due to an error in obtaining medical opinions related to its onset.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Disability, Lumbosacral Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2020
- Citation
- A20018488
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 A20018488.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding insufficient evidence to establish an in-service event or injury related to his shoulders. The Veteran's current shoulder conditions are not linked to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder disability, low back condition, bilateral knee disabilities, and left shoulder strain have been granted service connection. The Veteran's low back condition has been increased to a 40 percent evaluation, while the bilateral knee conditions remain at their current 10 percent evaluations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's right shoulder disability is related to his service-connected TMJ.
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.