The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including DJD of the lumbar spine, bursitis of the left shoulder, mucous retention cyst of the right maxillary sinus, and pressure on the brain with headaches and dizzy spells, all associated with participation in Project SHAD. The appeal was not about service connection at all.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence did not support a relationship between these conditions and exposure to chemicals during active service or any other disease, injury, or event during active service.
- Claimed conditions
- DJD of the lumbar spine, bursitis of the left shoulder, mucous retention cyst of the right maxillary sinus, pressure on the brain with headaches and dizzy spells
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2013
- Citation
- 1313551
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 1313551.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including DJD of the lumbar spine, right shoulder, bilateral sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and peripheral neuropathy, combined, prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education, skills, training, and work history. Effective December 7, 2022, he is granted TDIU.
- Denied
The Veteran's combined evaluation for his service-connected disabilities did not change after the February 2021 rating decision, so he is denied retroactive payment.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his right shoulder bursitis, left shoulder bursitis, and right ring finger fracture.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (including PTSD, asthma, DJD of the lumbar spine, tinnitus, radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, bilateral hearing loss, and migraines) render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU based on this finding.
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