The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his right shoulder disability is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The Board will provide the Veteran with another VA examination to assess the severity and manifestations of his service-connected right shoulder impingement syndrome, bicipital tendonitis, rotator cuff tear, tendonitis, and degenerative arthritis.
The deciding factor: The initial evaluation for the Veteran's right shoulder disability was not properly considered due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board will provide another VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder impingement syndrome, Bicipital tendonitis, Rotator cuff tear, Tendonitis, Degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2026
- Citation
- A26032201
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 A26032201.
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 Veteran's low back disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the claim for a higher rating is denied. The left shoulder disability is also rated at 20 percent, but there are no incapacitating episodes to warrant a higher rating under the IVDS Formula. The TDIU claim is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability is being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors and the need for a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the lumbar spine disability prior to October 11, 2022 and since December 1, 2022. The Veteran's claim is currently rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5242.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability, diagnosed as degenerative arthritis and a lumbosacral strain, is at least as likely as not related to his active service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.
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