The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected right shoulder disability, based on a medical opinion from an APRN that the left shoulder condition was caused by overuse due to the right shoulder disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found the opinion of the APRN more persuasive than the VA opinions because it considered the Veteran's lay assertions and supporting medical literature.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder strain
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25023937
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 Veteran's service connection for left shoulder strain, labral tear, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and tendinitis was granted, while the effective date prior to November 11, 2023, for migraine headaches was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, left shoulder strain, lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity to ensure compliance with its previous remand directives.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic sinusitis, left shoulder strain, lumbosacral strain, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity to ensure compliance with its previous remand directives.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an increased rating and TDIU due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error regarding SSA records.
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