The Veteran's service connection claim for a left arm and shoulder disability, claimed as a left arm swelling, diagnosed to include degenerative joint disease, rotator cuff tear, and tendinopathy, is granted.,The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a respiratory disorder, including emphysema, COPD, fibrosis, bronchitis, lung 'blisters,' and status post spontaneous pneumothorax, to include as a result of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
The deciding factor: The Veteran experienced an in-service left shoulder injury during service and has been diagnosed with degenerative joint disease, rotator cuff tear, and tendinopathy since separation from service.,The Board found that the Veteran's respiratory disorders are not related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease, Rotator Cuff Tear, Tendinopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19147619
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,977 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19147619.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board has found new and relevant evidence in support of the Veteran's previously denied service-connection claim for a back condition to include degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease. The case is being remanded for further review.
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- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his left shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran requesting to withdraw the appeal for left shoulder scars.,For the period on appeal, the Veteran's left shoulder disability is manifested by limitation of motion at shoulder level with flexion and/or abduction limited to 90 degrees. The Veteran's other impairment of humerus did not manifest by fibrous union, nonunion, or loss of head.
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