The Board has dismissed the Veteran's freestanding claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of her right shoulder disability. The appeal is remanded to consider a rating in excess of 10 percent for cervical strain.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not continuously pursue the issue of an earlier effective date for service connection, and thus the claim must be dismissed as a matter of law.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Labrum Tear with Residuals, Cervical Strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26033822
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 A26033822.
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 PTSD rating was reduced from 70 percent to 50 percent, effective February 20, 2025. The Board finds the reduction improper and restores the 70 percent disability rating for PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's PTSD rating is restored to 50 percent, but his other orthopedic disabilities remain in dispute and require further review.,His cervical strain, DJD of the left knee, and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis are all rated below their maximum possible ratings due to lack of evidence showing they meet or approximate the criteria for higher ratings.
- Granted
An effective date of July 1, 2020 is granted for Total Disability Rating based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).,An effective date of July 1, 2020 is also granted for basic eligibility for Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) due to permanent and total service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right shoulder strain and cervical strain were denied because he failed to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.
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