The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a shoulder disability as secondary to his service-connected back and radiculopathy of the lower extremities. The issues of increased rating for degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, service connection for keloid scarring on face, and service connection for hands shaking, bilateral are all remanded due to insufficient evidence.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is no medical evidence linking the Veteran's shoulder disability to his service or service-connected conditions. The issues of increased rating and service connection were also remanded as new examinations were needed given the Veteran's recent hearing testimony regarding his current symptoms and treatment.
- Claimed conditions
- Shoulder Disability (Right Shoulder Bursitis and Calcific Tendonitis), Degenerative Arthritis of the Thoracolumbar Spine, Unspecified Depressive Disorder with Insomnia, Keloid Scarring on Face, Hands Shaking, Bilateral
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 24, 2023
- Citation
- 23040382
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 23040382.
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 PTSD qualifies for a TDIU and SMC, while other conditions are rated appropriately. The appeal is denied for higher ratings in several cases.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and service connection due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding functional ankylosis and aggravation of obstructive sleep apnea by service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to August 24, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine is denied as he does not meet the criteria for a disability rating greater than 40 percent from November 4, 2021. The case is remanded due to additional development needed.
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