The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
The deciding factor: There were duty-to-assist errors prior to the February 2025 rating decision, specifically incomplete records and a need for an adequate VA examination.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, bilateral rotator cuff strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2026
- Citation
- A26001771
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 A26001771.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is related to an in-service injury. The claim will be returned for further review.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, left knee strain, right knee strain, right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, and left shoulder strain. The Board found that these conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service parachute jump landing.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The claims for service connection and rating determinations have become moot.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no credible evidence of a stressor during service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, cardiomyopathy, HTN, and right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis were all denied due to lack of in-service injury or event.,There was no indication that the Veteran participated in toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) as he did not meet the requirements for a Persian Gulf War veteran. The STRs could not be located, and further efforts would have been futile.
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