The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current left shoulder disorder is related to his military service. The Veteran contends that he injured his shoulder while lifting a tent, and VA records support this claim. However, the VA examiner found no chronicity of care since 2011 and opined against a causal relationship between the in-service injury and current symptoms.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was inadequate due to contradictory findings regarding the nature of the Veteran's symptoms and an absence of discussion on the Veteran's lay statements about symptom onset and progression.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 20, 2023
- Citation
- 23052060
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 23052060.
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 service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that he does not require regular aid and assistance from another person as a result of these conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot disorder, right shoulder disorder, and left shoulder disorder.,Service connection is also granted for these conditions based on direct evidence of a nexus to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, foot, and back disorders. The underlying merits of these claims must be addressed by the AOJ.
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