The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome due to an inadequate VA examination and opinion.
The deciding factor: The September 2023 VA examiner's opinions were deemed inadequate because they did not adequately address whether the Veteran's current right shoulder disability is a continuation of a pre-service injury or if it was aggravated by service, as required by law.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder impingement syndrome
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25024775
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 Veteran's service-connected headaches were granted a rating of 50 percent, and she was also granted TDIU, DEA, and SMC for the period from March 27, 2017, to August 20, 2017.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for right shoulder impingement syndrome, allergic rhinitis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. However, it granted service connection for headaches and remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood and alcohol use disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for service connection for various conditions, including cervical spine disability, numbness of upper extremities, right shoulder impingement syndrome, allergic rhinitis, and scars.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability and a 30 percent rating for the right shoulder disability, effective from June 21, 2021. The decision also granted TDIU and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.