The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following gainful employment from May 21, 2007 to September 14, 2007. However, the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether he was unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities from May 21, 2008 to November 24, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's high school education and history of physically laborious employment heavily impacted by the decreased function of his left shoulder made it at least in equipoise whether he was unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities from May 21, 2008 to November 24, 2015.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder degenerative joint disease, left shoulder scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 1, 2021
- Citation
- 21011452
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 21011452.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left shoulder degenerative joint disease with glenohumeral joint instability was denied as his disability did not more nearly approximate limitation of motion to 25 degrees from the side.
- Granted
The Veteran's prescribed topical skin medication, triamcinolone cream, caused irreparable damage to his clothing and the Board granted a clothing allowance for 2020 based on this.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an increased rating or service connection in all cases.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial, compensable disability rating for left knee and shoulder scars due to a need for further development of evidence.
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