The Board finds that the veteran's current left shoulder disability is not related to his active military service or a pre-existing condition, and there is no evidence of arthritis within one year following discharge from service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner indicated it was less likely as not that the veteran's current left shoulder arthritis had its onset with the noted injury during service.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder arthritis, left rotator cuff tear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2008
- Citation
- 0838097
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 0838097.
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 obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed all other appeals related to various joint conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal concerning service connection for left shoulder arthritis, rotator cuff tear (non-dominant), and bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and chronic sinusitis are not service-connected as there is no evidence of current disabilities.,The Veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of left hand arthritis, right hand arthritis, or shoulder arthritis.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.