The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, degenerative disk disease of the cervical spine, bilateral elbow disorder, and bilateral knee disabilities (post-total knee arthroplasty).
The deciding factor: The medical evidence supports a direct link between the Veteran's in-service injuries during combat service and his current conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder rotator cuff tear, degenerative disk disease of the cervical spine, bilateral elbow disorder, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, status post-total knee arthroplasty, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, status post-total knee arthroplasty
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- January 17, 2013
- Citation
- 1301959
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 1301959.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral elbow disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and residuals of a neck injury have been granted. The claim for sleep apnea has been withdrawn.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the current medical opinion is inadequate and the record is incomplete without other opinions. The Veteran's left shoulder disorder may be related to service, but a VA examination is needed to determine if it was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hip disorders due to a lack of current diagnoses in the medical records.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability, including rotator cuff tear with degenerative arthritis and tendonitis, finding that it is related to his military service.
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