The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and further development is required to determine if the Veteran's right shoulder condition was caused by or aggravated by his military service.
The deciding factor: The examiner did not adequately address the Veteran’s contentions regarding heavy lifting in his MOS and overuse of his wrist and back, which could have contributed to his right shoulder condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Condition (front & back), Rotator cuff tear, Labral tear (including SLAP), Acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20058722
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 20058722.
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 Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the claim for a higher rating is denied. The left shoulder disability is also rated at 20 percent, but there are no incapacitating episodes to warrant a higher rating under the IVDS Formula. The TDIU claim is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board will provide the Veteran with another VA examination to assess the severity and manifestations of his service-connected right shoulder impingement syndrome, bicipital tendonitis, rotator cuff tear, tendonitis, and degenerative arthritis.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, which was granted for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors and a need for an adequate examination.
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