The Veteran's right shoulder and right knee disabilities are granted service connection. Service connection for hypertension is denied, and the issue of secondary service connection for a right elbow disability due to his right shoulder disability is remanded. The issue of service connection for residuals of an anthrax vaccine is also remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnoses of right shoulder impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tear, and degenerative joint disease are causally related to injuries sustained during active service in August 2004 and November 2004. The Veteran's right knee disability is also linked to injuries sustained during active service in 1989 and 1998. Service connection for hypertension was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition, and a VA examination is needed to determine if residuals from an anthrax vaccine are related to his symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Disability, Right Knee Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19149791
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,874 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19149791.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a right knee disability, finding that there is no evidence to support an etiological relationship between his current condition and his military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disabilities are remanded. The claim for sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea) remains denied.
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.