The Board found that the Veteran's DJD of the left shoulder was not incurred in service and is not related to his military service.,The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's bilateral posterior calcaneal spurs are less likely than not caused by his in-service right ankle injuries.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence linking the current DJD of the left shoulder to the Veteran's in-service injury, and the medical opinion stated it was more likely due to normal aging.,The VA examiner found that there is no ongoing condition related to the in-service right ankle injuries causing stress on the Achilles' tendon resulting in calcaneal spurs.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Left Shoulder, Posterior Calcaneal Spur of the Right Foot, Posterior Calcaneal Spur of the Left Foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2018
- Citation
- 1819423
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 1819423.
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 has determined that the Veteran's current obstructive sleep apnea is proximately due to his obesity, which was caused by his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, left knee degenerative joint disease, and right knee degenerative joint disease. As such, service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to these conditions has been granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for his left shoulder disability and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of evidence. The Veteran is also reminded that he must cooperate with VA by submitting completed forms and providing relevant information.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to inconsistencies in the opinions provided by a nurse practitioner regarding the Veteran's flare-ups and their impact on disability ratings.
- Granted
The Veteran's left shoulder disability, which manifested pain at 25 degrees of flexion and abduction, is granted a 30 percent disability rating for the entire initial rating period prior to March 1, 2018.
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.