The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the left shoulder prior to September 17, 2019, granted a 30 percent rating from September 17, 2019 to December 24, 2019, and denied a higher rating on and after December 24, 2019. The Board also denied service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy and total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the severity of the Veteran's left shoulder condition and the lack of evidence supporting a higher or separate rating under the applicable criteria, as well as the denial of service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy and TDIU due to the absence of relevant evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder bursitis, left upper extremity neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2025
- Citation
- 25012498
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 931 · Granted: 42% (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 25012498.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including SMC based on loss of use of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, as well as rating increases for various neuropathies. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions have manifested with the loss of use of his hands, legs, and feet.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on loss of use of the left upper extremity is remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding her service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for TDIU, left upper extremity neuropathy, and right shoulder rotator cuff strain has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for left upper extremity neuropathy and right shoulder rotator cuff strain have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right shoulder rotator cuff strain has been dismissed.,A 20 percent rating is granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy.,A 20 percent rating is granted for left lower extremity radiculopathy.,The 40 percent rating for chronic lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease was reduced to 20 percent, and the reduction has been restored.
- Granted
The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type 2 and associated neuropathy in both upper and lower extremities are granted with a 60 percent disability rating, effective October 21, 2019.
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