The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right shoulder condition. The July 2012 VA examination report supports the finding of a right shoulder disability incurred during ACDUTRA, which is related to active service. Regarding the cervical spine disability, the Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it was incurred or aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The July 2012 VA examination report supports the finding of a right shoulder disability incurred during ACDUTRA and related to active service. For the cervical spine disability, the Veteran's private medical opinion indicates that his current condition is secondary to an incident in service, while the VA examiner opined against this connection based on the lack of evidence of a cervical spine condition during or within two years after separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Condition, Cervical Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2017
- Citation
- 1710574
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 1710574.
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 cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for TMD, cervical spine disability, and FSAD have been denied.,An earlier effective date prior to August 2, 2022, for the award of service connection for these conditions has also been denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right shoulder condition or neck condition, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied. The claims of service connection for a neck condition as secondary to a service-connected right wrist condition and for bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder condition, finding it directly related to the Veteran's military service. The effective date is October 24, 2025.
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