The Board is remanding the claim for a VA opinion to address evidence of trapezius atrophy and to discount the effects of medications on the disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Board failed to address favorable evidence regarding muscle atrophy and did not properly evaluate the baseline severity of the disability, so a remand is necessary.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis; glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, instability, and dislocation/recurrent dislocation; and s/p arthroscopic glenohumeral join stabilization
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 21, 2025
- Citation
- A25036378
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 the veteran's request for a higher disability rating for both left shoulder and left elbow disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.