The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder strain is granted. The initial rating for his TBI with dizziness and unspecified depressive disorder remains at 40 percent, but the initial rating for headaches is increased to 50 percent. His ratings for bilateral knee ITB syndrome remain denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found mild impairment in memory, attention, concentration, or executive functions, judgment, and social interaction, with no significant impairments in other facets of cognitive impairment. The Veteran's depressive disorder was combined with his TBI under Diagnostic Code 8045.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder strain, bilateral wrist disability, bilateral hand disability, low back disability, neck disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral shin splints disability, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral foot disability (including pes planus and hammer toes), bilateral eye disability (including photophobia), cardiovascular disability (including tachycardia), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), skin disability (affecting the face, neck and upper torso)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- November 14, 2022
- Citation
- 22063413
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 22063413.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 remanded the claims for a neurological examination to determine if any diagnosed radiculopathy or other neurological disability affecting the lower extremities was caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disability, abdominal hernia, GERD, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral foot disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during the appellant's period of active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for sinusitis and remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic lower back pain, right knee pain, left knee pain, neck pain, and GERD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection of a neck disability due to pre-decisional error in not obtaining a VA examination and medical opinion.
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