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
- Not verified here — check the original 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1233768.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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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