The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral shoulder, elbow and wrist disabilities did not undergo a permanent increase in severity during his service. Therefore, these conditions were not aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that there was no evidence of permanent worsening of the underlying conditions due to the natural progress of the underlying conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Tendonitis, Left Shoulder Tendonitis, Right Elbow Tendonitis with Epicondylitis, Left Elbow Tendonitis with Epicondylitis, Right Wrist Strain, Left Wrist Strain
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2012
- Citation
- 1233768
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 1233768.
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 Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death was cardiopulmonary arrest due to aspiration, and they have found a duty to assist error in their initial decision. They are now requesting a medical opinion to determine if the service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the Veteran's right shoulder strain, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, right wrist strain, left wrist strain, right knee strain, and left knee strain are inadequate. The claims are therefore being remanded to schedule new examinations.
- Granted
The Veteran's right shoulder tendonitis is rated at 20 percent from February 6, 2017. The rating for thoracolumbar spine intervertebral disc syndrome remains at 40 percent prior to September 22, 2025 and in excess of 40 percent thereafter.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted an increased rating of 50 percent from July 28, 2023. Other claims for increased ratings were denied.
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