The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA examinations and incomplete medical records. The issues include initial ratings for left shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities, service connection for sinusitis, and secondary service connection for pain and numbness in both legs and feet.
The deciding factor: The examination reports were found to be inadequate and the Veteran's treatment records were not fully reviewed, leading to incomplete assessments of his conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Disability, Lumbar Spine Disability, Sinusitis, Pain and Numbness in Left Leg and Foot (secondary to Lumbar Spine Disability), Pain and Numbness in Right Leg and Foot (secondary to Lumbar Spine Disability)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20061548
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 20061548.
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.
- 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 Veteran's claim for an effective date before April 1, 2018 for a 20% rating for left shoulder disability was denied. The appeal also resulted in the assignment of a 20% rating from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2018, and a TDIU granted from April 1, 2018 to September 3, 2025.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an extension of a temporary total rating for his left shoulder disability, finding that he did not require convalescence beyond August 31, 2011 following his surgery.
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