The Veteran's right shoulder strain and left shoulder degenerative arthritis have been rated at the maximum allowable under current VA regulations, with no further increase in ratings possible.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral shoulder conditions are currently rated based on their severity as service-connected disabilities without any additional factors such as exposure to environmental hazards or a presumption of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Strain, Recurrent Dislocation, Status Post Operative Repair with Degenerative Joint Disease, Left Shoulder Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 13, 2014
- Citation
- 1421482
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 1421482.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted initial disability ratings of 30 percent for irritable bowel syndrome, 10 percent for chronic sinusitis, 50 percent for tension headaches, and 30 percent for left shoulder degenerative arthritis.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including Reiter's Syndrome, from December 11, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The claims of increased ratings for left shoulder degenerative arthritis, external hemorrhoids, and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's left shoulder disability, finding that there was no increase in severity of the preexisting condition during service and thus not meeting the criteria for direct service connection.
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