The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current left shoulder conditions are related to service, specifically his in-service injuries and work as a cannoneer.
The deciding factor: The examiner was asked to provide an opinion on whether the current left shoulder conditions (bicipital tendonitis and degenerative joint disease) had their onset during service or were related to any incident of service, including two in-service shoulder injuries and/or his work as a cannoneer.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease with Impingement Syndrome, Bicipital Tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2023
- Citation
- 23009245
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 23009245.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder disability, including acromioclavicular joint separation, bicipital tendonitis, and rotator cuff tendonitis, is now rated at 40 percent effective November 17, 2020.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for his right shoulder disability have been denied. The claim was initially filed in April 2001, but the effective date is set at April 17, 2001 due to a finding of CUE in the July 2015 decision. His current rating remains at 20 percent.
- Denied
The Veteran's left shoulder disability, characterized as left shoulder strain with bicipital tendonitis, impingement syndrome and labral tear, is rated at 30 percent since May 10, 2017. The appeal for a higher rating prior to that date is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence of a direct relationship to service and insufficient competent evidence linking it to his service-connected left shoulder disability.
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