The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's right shoulder condition, specifically addressing whether it is related to service or a service-connected knee disability. The Veteran contends his current shoulder condition may be aggravated by his service-connected knee disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's right shoulder condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected knee disability, as requested in May 2020 Board remand instructions.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, Rotator cuff repair, Acromioclavicular (AC) joint arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2023
- Citation
- 23058635
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 23058635.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's right shoulder disability was rated at 20 percent prior to December 2, 2024. The issue of higher ratings since December 2, 2024 for his total shoulder replacement and residuals from left knee replacement is dismissed due to lack of case or controversy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the October 2025 remand directives and additional medical opinions discussing the ameliorative effects of medication related to the Veteran's lumbar spine, right shoulder, and headache disabilities must be obtained.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and readjudication.
- Denied
The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's degenerative joint disease, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, and pseudofolliculitis barbae.
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