The Board denied service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current bilateral shoulder disabilities to his in-service injury or to any other event during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral shoulder rotator cuff tear, bilateral glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis, bilateral acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19195919
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,037 · Granted: 21% (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 19195919.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's left shoulder condition. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an addendum opinion from a clinician addressing whether it is at least as likely as not that the disability had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum VA opinion regarding the Veteran's bilateral shoulder disability, including rotator cuff tears, shoulder arthrofibrosis, and arthritis. The examiner is asked to consider the physical requirements of the Veteran’s MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) in which he worked, such as hunched over, in confined spaces, while exposed to extremely wet and cold conditions, and with his arms extended.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed shoulder conditions, specifically whether they are aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral osteoarthritis of the elbow, bilateral acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, bilateral patellar femoral syndrome, degenerative spondylosis, dermatitis, and IBS. The Veteran's current diagnoses are supported by his competent testimony regarding symptoms since service.
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