The Veteran's claim for a right shoulder disability, to include as secondary to service-connected knee disabilities, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion regarding causation and aggravation.
The deciding factor: The Board found that a new VA examination and secondary causation opinion are necessary to fully address the issues of whether the Veteran's right shoulder condition was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected knee disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder strain, Right rotator cuff tear, Right rotator cuff arthropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 14, 2021
- Citation
- 21063348
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 21063348.
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 Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20% under the old rating criteria. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an updated VA examination and determine the current severity of the service-connected condition without considering any ameliorative effects of medication.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) as there is no evidence that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions leave her in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's right shoulder disability, specifically his right rotator cuff tear, is rated at 30 percent since December 2013. The Board found that the evidence does not show a limitation of motion to 25 degrees from side during any part of the appeal period.
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