The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 70 percent for other specified stressor related disorder with major depressive disorder is granted, effective from March 30, 2020. His separate ratings for left shoulder degenerative arthritis and glenohumeral joint instability and dislodged fixation screw (under DC 5201) and left shoulder recurrent dislocation (under DC 5202) are maintained at 20 percent each.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's other specified stressor related disorder with major depressive disorder meets the criteria for a 70 percent rating due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, including work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Degenerative Arthritis, Glenohumeral Joint Instability, and Dislodged Fixation Screw, Left Shoulder Recurrent Dislocation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 3, 2024
- Citation
- A24080006
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 A24080006.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted increased ratings for right and left shoulder disabilities, but denied claims for higher evaluations based on recurrent dislocations. The Veteran's service connection remains intact.
- Granted
The Veteran's left shoulder disability, characterized by recurrent dislocation and arthritis, has been rated at 30 percent under the appropriate diagnostic code. The VA examiner found that his arthritis is directly related to his service-connected recurrent left shoulder dislocation.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased rating for the Veteran's left shoulder recurrent dislocation with arthritis, currently rated at 20 percent. The issue of TDIU was not addressed in this decision.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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