The Board remands the claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability, to include left shoulder rotator cuff tear with bicipital tendonitis and osteoarthritis, as further development is needed.
The deciding factor: The March 2022 VA medical examination was found inadequate due to its focus on the right shoulder and lack of consideration for the Veteran's reported onset and course of her left shoulder disabilities during active duty and National Guard/Reserve service.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder rotator cuff tear with bicipital tendonitis, osteoarthritis of the left shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2024
- Citation
- A24070863
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 Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for hypertension was denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for osteoarthritis of the left shoulder was dismissed.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the disability had its onset in service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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