The Veteran's initial claims for higher evaluations were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to any higher ratings.,Service connection was established, but no higher initial evaluations could be granted as the evidence did not meet the criteria for such.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show that the Veteran's conditions warranted higher initial evaluations based on their current manifestations or functional impairment. The Board found that the existing evaluations adequately reflected the severity of the Veteran's disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of both knees, Degenerative Joint Disease of Right Knee, Degenerative Joint Disease of Left Knee, Left Shoulder Disability, Cervical Spine Disability, Lumbar Spine Disability, Right Ankle Sprain/Fracture, Chronic Sinusitis, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Patent Foramen Ovale
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 1, 2011
- Citation
- 1140442
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 1140442.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date before April 1, 2018 for a 20% rating for left shoulder disability was denied. The appeal also resulted in the assignment of a 20% rating from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2018, and a TDIU granted from April 1, 2018 to September 3, 2025.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities, finding insufficient evidence to establish an in-service event or injury related to his shoulders. The Veteran's current shoulder conditions are not linked to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted a 70% rating, effective July 15, 2024. The Veteran's GERD remains at a 10% rating.
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