The Veteran's appeal for service connection for eczema (lipoma on back) is dismissed due to procedural issues. The appeals for initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for right shoulder strain and left shoulder impingement with rotator cuff tear and AC joint OA are denied. The claims for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and cervical spine degenerative arthritis are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's appeal was improperly docketed under the AMA system, leading to its dismissal due to procedural defects.
- Claimed conditions
- eczema (lipoma on back), right shoulder strain, left shoulder impingement with rotator cuff tear and acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2023
- Citation
- A23031340
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 A23031340.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder strain as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after discharge, and the medical opinion found that his current condition is not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether the Veteran's right shoulder strain warrants a compensable disability rating, and if so, what that rating should be.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right and left shoulder disabilities, finding that they are related to his active duty service.
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