The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left shoulder degenerative arthritis is denied.,The claims for higher ratings for cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities are remanded, as further development is needed to determine the extent of current disability.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The initial rating for left shoulder degenerative arthritis was denied because her range of motion did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable VA rating schedule.,Further development is needed to determine the extent of current disability for cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities, as there are conflicting medical records regarding whether symptoms are due to service-connected conditions or nonservice-connected fibromyalgia.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is remanded because updated information on her employment status since her last claim in 2015 is needed.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder degenerative arthritis, cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2023
- Citation
- 23012319
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 23012319.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there are insufficient medical opinions and records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis. The claims for back pain and right upper extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was denied, and his claims for right knee, left knee, right hand, left hand, GERD, neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss were also denied. The effective date of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted on December 14, 2022.
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