{"page":"https://casescribe.ai/explorer/secondary/shoulder-impairment-secondary-to-neck","generated_at":"2026-10-03T18:34:25.087Z","data_as_of":{"decisions":944125,"first_year":2017,"last_year":2026,"latest_decision":"2026-04-30","cfr":"2026-10-01","m21":"2026-09-29"},"about":{"publisher":"CaseScribe AI (VA Law Explorer)","source":"Public Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions (appeals of VA decisions, not VA's first decisions), M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, 38 CFR Parts 3 and 4.","method":"Outcomes are issue-level: each condition the Board decided in a decision counts once. Decision data is extracted by AI and can contain errors. Rates describe past appeals and do not predict any claim.","disclaimer":"For research only. CaseScribe AI is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Verify figures against the source decisions and regulations.","attribution":"Cite as: VA Law Explorer, CaseScribe AI, with the page URL."},"data":{"claim":"Shoulder impairment secondary to a neck (cervical spine) condition","secondary_condition":"Shoulder impairment","service_connected_disability":"a neck (cervical spine) condition","decisions":425,"years":"2017-2026","granted_pct":9.9,"denied_pct":20.7,"remanded_pct":69.6,"granted_on_merits_pct":32.3,"by_year":[{"year":2017,"issues":36,"granted_pct":8.3,"denied_pct":22.2,"remanded_pct":69.4},{"year":2018,"issues":47,"granted_pct":10.6,"denied_pct":29.8,"remanded_pct":59.6},{"year":2019,"issues":51,"granted_pct":5.9,"denied_pct":17.6,"remanded_pct":74.5},{"year":2020,"issues":63,"granted_pct":7.9,"denied_pct":28.6,"remanded_pct":63.5},{"year":2021,"issues":74,"granted_pct":6.8,"denied_pct":17.6,"remanded_pct":75.7},{"year":2022,"issues":83,"granted_pct":7.2,"denied_pct":18.1,"remanded_pct":74.7},{"year":2023,"issues":66,"granted_pct":7.6,"denied_pct":22.7,"remanded_pct":69.7},{"year":2024,"issues":55,"granted_pct":16.4,"denied_pct":16.4,"remanded_pct":67.3},{"year":2025,"issues":47,"granted_pct":23.4,"denied_pct":12.8,"remanded_pct":63.8}],"benefit_of_doubt_in_grants_pct":73.8,"evidence_on_merits":[{"evidence":"va_exam_favorable","decisions_with":41,"granted_pct_with":68.8,"granted_pct_without":27.2},{"evidence":"va_exam_unfavorable","decisions_with":364,"granted_pct_with":30.2,"granted_pct_without":50},{"evidence":"nexus_positive","decisions_with":63,"granted_pct_with":69.7,"granted_pct_without":19.6},{"evidence":"nexus_negative","decisions_with":309,"granted_pct_with":28.3,"granted_pct_without":50},{"evidence":"private_opinion","decisions_with":126,"granted_pct_with":45.1,"granted_pct_without":24.1},{"evidence":"lay_statement","decisions_with":357,"granted_pct_with":29.7,"granted_pct_without":58.3}],"top_reasons":{"granted":[{"reason":"caused by the service-connected disability","decisions":10},{"reason":"service connection established","decisions":4},{"reason":"current diagnosis established","decisions":4},{"reason":"related to service-connected cervical spine disability","decisions":2}],"denied":[{"reason":"no in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis","decisions":20},{"reason":"va examiner: less likely than not related to service","decisions":15},{"reason":"preponderance of the evidence against the claim","decisions":8},{"reason":"aggravated by the service-connected disability","decisions":7},{"reason":"current diagnosis established","decisions":7},{"reason":"service records negative or silent","decisions":6}]},"recent_examples":{"granted":[{"case_id":"A25108787","year":2025,"judge":"A. C. MACKENZIE","rationale":"Left shoulder pain caused by cervical pain disability; Evidence weighs in favor of service connection; Resolving doubt in Veteran's favor"},{"case_id":"A25105380","year":2025,"judge":"T. RAYMOND","rationale":"Secondary to service-connected cervical strain; Supported by private medical opinion; No contrary medical opinions of record"},{"case_id":"A25099695","year":2025,"judge":"RAY BARTO SLABBEKORN, JR.","rationale":"Favorable finding of diagnosis from RO decision; Lay statements regarding pain during military physical training; Private chiropractic opinion linking condition to service; Benefit of the doubt applied due to approximate balance of evidence"}],"denied":[{"case_id":"26004509","year":2026,"judge":"ERIC S. LEBOFF","rationale":"No in-service complaints or diagnoses for right shoulder disability.; No medical opinion linking current disability to service or service-connected cervical spine strain.; Veteran's lay statement regarding onset outweighed by lack of medical evidence."},{"case_id":"A25109807","year":2025,"judge":"JONATHAN B. KRAMER","rationale":"No current diagnosis of left shoulder disability.; Pain attributed to radiculopathy from service-connected cervical spine.; No evidence of functional impairment."},{"case_id":"A25093699","year":2025,"judge":"RAY BARTO SLABBEKORN, JR.","rationale":"C&P examiner provided negative nexus opinion regarding service connection; C&P examiner provided negative nexus opinion regarding secondary connection to cervical/lumbar spine conditions; Veteran's lay statements not competent to establish medical causal relationship; Evidence weighs against finding… [truncated, 22 chars omitted]"}]},"how_argued":{"note":"From keyword matches in each issue's AI summary and rationale, not the full decision. Only issues whose text names a medical link are counted under pathways; one issue can name several. A link named in a denial was often the argument the Board rejected.","issues":528,"aggravation_discussed":{"issues":213,"granted_pct":5.2},"causation_only":{"issues":315,"granted_pct":13},"issues_naming_a_pathway_pct":17.2,"pathways":[{"pathway":"Nerve involvement","issues":79,"granted_pct":12.7,"examples":[{"case_id":"25008104","year":2025,"outcome":"GRANTED","quote":"Service connection for a right shoulder disorder secondary to the veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability with bilateral radiculopathy was granted."},{"case_id":"A25109807","year":2025,"outcome":"DENIED","quote":"Pain attributed to radiculopathy from service-connected cervical spine."}]}]},"how_va_rates":null,"requirements":"38 CFR 3.310: a current diagnosis, a service-connected disability, and medical evidence that it caused (3.310(a)) or aggravated (3.310(b)) the condition."}}