The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of spinal surgery and left shoulder disability have been denied as new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, depression, recurrent dislocation of the right shoulder, and degenerative arthritis remains pending. The Board finds that VA medical opinions are necessary to decide those claims.
The deciding factor: No new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for residuals of spinal surgery and left shoulder disability.,The Veteran's service treatment records do not reveal any complaints or diagnoses related to sleep apnea, depression, recurrent dislocation of the right shoulder, or degenerative arthritis. The Board finds that VA medical opinions are necessary to decide those claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of spinal surgery, Left shoulder disability, Sleep apnea, Depression, Tinnitus, Recurrent dislocation of the right shoulder, Residuals of putti platt procedure, right shoulder with degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2018
- Citation
- 1827132
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 1827132.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient findings regarding PTSD and depression, requiring a new VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
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.