The appellant's right shoulder disabilities have been rated at 20 percent since prior to January 15, 2014.,The appellant's left shoulder disabilities have also been rated at 20 percent since prior to January 15, 2014.,No higher evaluations are warranted for the right and left shoulders after January 15, 2014 based on current evidence of record.,There is no evidence supporting a higher evaluation for either shoulder after January 15, 2014.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support an increase in the disability ratings beyond 20 percent for both shoulders after January 15, 2014.,The appellant's right and left shoulders have been rated at 20 percent since prior to January 15, 2014 based on their current functional limitations.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Acromioclavicular Joint, Early Degenerative Joint Disease of the Right Glenohumeral Joint, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Acromioclavicular Joint, Early Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Glenohumeral Joint
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 2, 2014
- Citation
- 1443988
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 1443988.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's right shoulder surgery on May 7, 2008 resulted in post-operative diagnoses of impingement syndrome and degenerative joint disease. The Board finds that the criteria for a temporary total rating based on need for convalescence do not meet as the effective date for service connection was June 9, 2008, which predates the surgery.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, degenerative joint disease of the right acromioclavicular joint, synovitis of the right and left knees, bilateral pes planus, and deviated septum. The case is being remanded to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) addressing these issues.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the effective dates for service connection of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and intervertebral disc syndrome of the right upper extremity with right carpal tunnel syndrome cannot be earlier than January 17, 2007.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial evaluations for his service-connected left shoulder and digestive system disabilities, finding that neither disability warranted a rating in excess of 20 percent.
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