The Board has remanded the claim for an increased rating for right shoulder degenerative joint disease (DJD) due to inadequate VA examinations and a need for clarification of diagnoses and functional loss.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's right shoulder diagnoses during the pendency of his appeal, including different diagnoses provided by different VA examiners. The Board also noted inconsistencies in the findings regarding the presence or absence of a clavicle condition and the severity of flareups.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder DJD, rotator cuff tendonitis, rotator cuff tear, labral tear (including SLAP), glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis, glenohumeral joint instability, traumatic arthritis, nonunion of a right clavicle fracture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 14, 2022
- Citation
- 22034744
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 22034744.
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 appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining clarification from the August 2017 VA examiner regarding which symptoms are related to his service-connected left trapezius strain and whether any non-service-connected conditions represent a progression of that disability.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the current medical opinion is inadequate and the record is incomplete without other opinions. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disorder.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal regarding a rating for muscle atrophy due to thoracic outlet syndrome and related conditions has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal.
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.