The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left arm (including elbow) arthritis, right arm (including elbow) arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, left hand arthritis, and right hand arthritis due to inadequate medical opinions.,Further development is needed to address the Veteran's lay contentions regarding continuous symptoms.
The deciding factor: The Board has remanded these issues because the VA examiners did not adequately discuss the Veteran’s lay contentions regarding continuous symptoms as required by the January 2019 Court JMPR.,Further development is needed to address the Veteran's lay contentions regarding continuous symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Great Toe Fracture Residuals, Left Arm (including Elbow) Arthritis, Right Arm (including Elbow) Arthritis, Left Shoulder Arthritis, Right Shoulder Arthritis, Left Hand Arthritis, Right Hand Arthritis, Cervical Spine Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20078570
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 20078570.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions at the time of the June and August 2025 decisions. The cases will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in the initial disability rating for right shoulder arthritis. The Veteran needs an addendum medical opinion regarding additional lost range of motion during painful flare-ups.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his left shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran requesting to withdraw the appeal for left shoulder scars.,For the period on appeal, the Veteran's left shoulder disability is manifested by limitation of motion at shoulder level with flexion and/or abduction limited to 90 degrees. The Veteran's other impairment of humerus did not manifest by fibrous union, nonunion, or loss of head.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, finding that his current condition is related to his active military service and not due to any pre-existing condition. The decision also notes that he had no injuries or events during service but did experience pain and stiffness in his left shoulder which worsened over time.
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.