Service connection for hypertension, left shoulder injury, right shoulder injury, stroke, degenerative disk disease of the cervical spine (claimed as upper back and neck condition), and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbosacral spine (claimed as back condition) is denied.,The Veteran's service connection claim for left shoulder injury and right shoulder injury is dismissed due to a pending legacy appeal.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s hypertension, left shoulder injury, or right shoulder injury are related to his active duty service. The Veteran was diagnosed with these conditions post-service.,The Veteran's stroke occurred nearly 40 years after his release from active duty and there is no competent medical evidence linking it to his service.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension, left shoulder injury, right shoulder injury, stroke, degenerative disk disease, cervical spine (claimed as upper back and neck condition), degenerative joint disease, thoracolumbosacral spine (claimed as back condition)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 13, 2019
- Citation
- A19001323
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 A19001323.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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