The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for left shoulder strain was denied from October 1, 2011 to April 26, 2016. From April 26, 2016, the Veteran is rated at 20% for limitation of motion of the arm at the shoulder level.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed limited range of motion above the shoulder level, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5201.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20070719
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of December 1, 1984 for the awards of service connection for IBS, bilateral shoulder strain, bilateral elbow tendinopathy, limitation of bilateral forearm supination, and bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of July 11, 2023, for the grant of service connection for PTSD, migraines, a bilateral shoulder disability, a low back disability, and bilateral knee disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including IBS, somatic symptom disorder, lumbar degenerative disc disease, and various radiculopathies and strains, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service or secondary to a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities for further development, including obtaining contemporaneous VA examinations.
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