The Veteran's initial increased rating claims for right shoulder, left foot hammer toes, and right foot hammer toes were denied. The Board also found that the Veteran’s service connection claims for PTSD, a back disability, cause of death, and DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 are remanded.,The Veteran's initial increased rating claim for his right shoulder was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran’s right shoulder disability limited motion to shoulder level or midway between side and shoulder level, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5201. The Veteran's range of motion was found to be limited by pain during flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Strain with Bursitis and Osteoarthritis, Left Foot Hammer Toes, Right Foot Hammer Toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2020
- Citation
- 20021148
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 20021148.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted for the periods from January 9, 2013 to January 13, 2020, and from May 15, 2020. The Board found that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right ankle arthritis and residuals of a fracture of the right fourth metatarsal, finding that these conditions were aggravated by service. The claim for right ear hearing loss is also granted as it may be related to in-service noise exposure.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for a left knee disability is granted. Service connection for a left foot disability, secondary to his service-connected left ankle disability, is also granted. The Veteran's left ankle disability is rated at 20 percent.
- 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.
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.