The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a left shoulder disability, as secondary to a service-connected neck disability, due to an inadequate VA medical opinion.
The deciding factor: The December 2024 and February 2025 VA medical opinions are found to be inadequate because they do not adequately address the question at hand regarding aggravation of the Veteran's left shoulder disabilities by her service-connected neck disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis, Rotator cuff tendinopathy, Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), Rheumatoid arthritis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- 25008661
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 Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's combined disability rating for Parkinson's disease and its manifestations is 100 percent, and special monthly compensation at the rate set forth in 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) is granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a neck injury, including degenerative arthritis, IVDS, spinal stenosis, and history of spinal fusion, based on the evidence showing chronicity since service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 25, 2025 for the award of service connection for degenerative disc disease thoracolumbar spine with degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, and levoscoliosis.
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