The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current left shoulder disability that was incurred or aggravated by service, and the cervical spine disability is not shown to be aggravated during service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not submit medical evidence showing aggravation of his pre-existing left shoulder condition during service, nor does the record show any current left shoulder disability. The Board also found no evidence of a current left shoulder disability that was incurred or aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- irritable bowel syndrome, left shoulder disability, sleep apnea, migraine headaches, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), status post cervical fusion with residual strain and myositis, lumbar strain myositis, right shoulder impingement syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 15, 2011
- Citation
- 1110159
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 1110159.
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.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for sleep apnea. The Veteran will be provided with a VA examination to determine if his current sleep disorder is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.
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