The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis of the left shoulder, finding that it is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the current degenerative changes in the left shoulder are more likely related to the patient's age and use of assisted walking devices rather than symptoms recorded during service.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the left shoulder, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 6, 2001
- Citation
- 0120163
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 0120163.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and IVDS. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury during active duty and his continuous symptoms since then.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating, compensable rating, and extension of temporary total evaluation for his lumbar spine disability have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing all claims in April 2022.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and associated radiculopathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective October 23, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history.
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