The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder and left shoulder disabilities are not related to service or a service-connected disability.,However, the Veteran's low back disorder is considered incidental and as likely as not related to advancing age rather than his in-service injuries.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no direct link between the Veteran's current shoulder conditions and his in-service shell fragment wound injuries. The low back condition was deemed an incidental finding due to its relation to advancing age.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Disorder, Left Shoulder Disorder, Low Back Disability, Right Knee Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2018
- Citation
- 1803009
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 1803009.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The claims for urinary frequency disability and residuals of a cholecystectomy were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted increased ratings for the Veteran's left and right knee disabilities, including separate ratings for instability and meniscal conditions, but denied higher ratings for flexion limitations in both knees. The Board also granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 1, 2021.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD and remanded the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for a right knee disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent evaluation for tension headaches effective September 13, 2022, but denied earlier effective dates and service connection for various conditions.
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