The Veteran's left shoulder replacement is granted a higher rating of 50 percent effective June 21, 2018. A compensable rating for his left shoulder scar is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports the award of a higher rating for the left shoulder replacement due to chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness, while the evidence does not support a compensable rating for the left shoulder scar as it did not meet the criteria for deep and nonlinear scars under DC 7801.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Replacement, Left Shoulder Scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 4, 2024
- Citation
- 24000767
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,341 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24000767.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for adjustment disorder with anxiety and denied higher ratings for the left and right knee disabilities, as well as service connection for various other conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The claims of increased ratings for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, external hemorrhoids, and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent rating for his left shoulder scar, which is painful, was granted from June 24, 2021.
- Denied
The Veteran's TDIU is denied as the earliest effective date allowable for the grant of a TDIU is January 28, 2021 due to service connection for PTSD.
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