The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative arthritis of the shoulders was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection. The rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine remains at 40 percent.
The deciding factor: The August 2001 VA examiner opined that the veteran's bilateral shoulder changes were due to aging and wear and tear, not related to service or his low back disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Degenerative arthritis of the shoulders"}, {"condition_name":"Lumbosacral strain with degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 25, 2006
- Citation
- 0602080
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
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