The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to procedural errors and the need for additional medical examination.
The deciding factor: There was an error in the duty to assist, specifically regarding the adequacy of the September 2018 VA examination which did not adequately address the Veteran's flare-ups and their impact on his functional impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- bicipital tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, labral tear, acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2026
- Citation
- A26013066
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 A26013066.
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 Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining clarification from the August 2017 VA examiner regarding which symptoms are related to his service-connected left trapezius strain and whether any non-service-connected conditions represent a progression of that disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disorder and right knee strain are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected internal derangement of the left knee, considering whether obesity is a substantial factor in their development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the current medical opinion is inadequate and the record is incomplete without other opinions. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, finding no evidence linking his current condition to military service or any service-connected disability.
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