The Veteran's left shoulder trapezius strain is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that his range of motion does not warrant a higher rating as it has never been limited to within 25 degrees from the side.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left shoulder trapezius strain has consistently allowed for full active and passive ROM with no significant functional loss during flare-ups, thus preventing him from meeting the criteria for a higher rating under DC 5201.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder trapezius strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 24, 2022
- Citation
- 22030582
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 22030582.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for irregular sleep/wake rhythm and granted service connection for left shoulder trapezius strain, while remanding claims for cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis, IVDS with strain of muscle and tendon of back wall of thorax, left hip trochanteric pain syndrome, to include trochanteric bursitis, and nevus.
- Denied
The Veteran's left shoulder trapezius strain is manifested by pain and limitation of motion, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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