The Board remands the claims for increased ratings for left shoulder impingement syndrome, left foot sprain, and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis due to inadequate VA examinations.
The deciding factor: The June 2023 VA examinations were found inadequate as they did not provide all required range of motion measurements during weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing conditions, nor did they account for the effects of pain on functional ability.
- Claimed conditions
- Left shoulder impingement syndrome, Left foot sprain, Lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2025
- Citation
- A25028694
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypertension and remanded claims related to a low back disability, bilateral shoulder impingement syndrome, and other conditions due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including degenerative left and right hands and fingers, headaches, a left ankle condition, left foot sprain, a degenerative neck condition, and a left hip condition as secondary to a service-connected disability. The lower back condition, insomnia, and left arm numbness were remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for VR&E benefits was denied because she did not have an employment handicap and was able to obtain suitable employment consistent with her abilities, aptitudes, and interests.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, namely lumbar spondylosis, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, and intervertebral disc syndrome as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected retropatellar syndrome, arthritis and meniscal strain, right knee.
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