The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for his left shoulder disorder and low back disability were denied. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and active duty, except for minimal degenerative joint disease in the left shoulder diagnosed in January 2008. The Veteran was not granted service connection or an increased rating.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not establish a link between the current left shoulder disorder and service, as there were no complaints of shoulder pain during service and the examiner found that the disability developed after service. For the low back disability, the Board noted that the Veteran's last clinical examination in February 2011 showed age-related changes without any evidence of arthritis or other chronic conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Disorder, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 9, 2013
- Citation
- 1321931
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 1321931.
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.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, and anxiety disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly regarding his shoulder disorders and nasal surgeries. The claims for service connection have been remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not being granted earlier than November 25, 2019.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disorders due to inadequate etiology opinions in the previous decision. The case will be reviewed with a VA examiner to determine if there is any relationship between the Veteran's current shoulder conditions and his military service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.