The Board has granted service connection for low back and bilateral shoulder disorders, but denied a higher initial evaluation for the left index finger disability and an earlier effective date for TDIU.
The deciding factor: The veteran's preexisting low back condition was presumed to have existed prior to service, and there is no clear and unmistakable evidence that it worsened during service. The bilateral shoulder disorder is considered presumptively related to active service. However, the left index finger disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Shoulder Degenerative Joint Disease, Low Back Spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 8, 2006
- Citation
- 0616841
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,435 · Granted: 22% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0616841.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder, is service-connected.,The Veteran's chronic gastritis is service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral ankle degenerative joint disease is service-connected.,The Veteran's cervical spine condition to include strain and pain is service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral hip degenerative joint disease is service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral foot degenerative joint disease is service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral shoulder degenerative joint disease is service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral knee degenerative joint disease is service-connected.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral shoulder and ankle degenerative joint disease on a presumptive basis due to in-service bone studies indicating arthritis. The issue of an increased rating for right knee arthritis is also granted.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
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