The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of his lumbar spine condition.,For PTSD, the Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher than 30 percent rating during the appeal period.,For left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis, the VA examiner noted no limitation to 25 degrees from side and concluded that a higher rating is not warranted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine condition was not addressed in the initial decision and requires further evaluation.,PTSD symptoms did not meet criteria for increased ratings, as they were consistent with the currently assigned 30 percent rating.,Left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis did not show limitation to 25 degrees from side, thus no higher rating is warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Shoulder Strain with Rotator Cuff Tendonitis, Lumbar Spine Condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2023
- Citation
- 23053919
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 23053919.
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 claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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