The Veteran's service connection claim for spinal arthritis to include as secondary to left shoulder DJD is denied. The Veteran's increased rating claims for left shoulder DJD and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis are also denied. The TDIU claim is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s spinal arthritis was incurred in service or due to his service-connected left shoulder DJD, leading to denial of service connection. The increased rating claims for left shoulder DJD and bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis are also denied as there is no evidence showing they have worsened beyond what is contemplated by the current 20 percent ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine","secondary_to":"Left shoulder degenerative joint disease (DJD)"}, {"condition_name":"Cervical strain and muscles spasms","secondary_to":null}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19131596
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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