The Board denied service connection for residuals of muscle removal/damage, right side abdomen/stomach with surgical scar removed and transplanted to service-connected left calf.,The Board also denied service connection for a left shoulder condition. The low back condition was remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation.
The deciding factor: There is no current diagnosis of residuals of muscle removal/damage, right side abdomen/stomach with surgical scar removed and transplanted to service-connected left calf.,The January 2017 VA examination found no left shoulder condition. The examiner stated that the Veteran reported subjective pain but there was no medical, clinical, or diagnostic evidence to support a left shoulder diagnosis.,After reviewing all records provided for review, including the Veteran's assertion of altered gait due to his left leg condition, there is no medical, clinical, or significant research evidence to support the contention that the Veteran’s low back condition, diagnosed as multilevel degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, was aggravated by a muscle harvest from the back for use in surgery of the left lower extremity.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"residuals of muscle removal/damage, right side abdomen/stomach with surgical scar removed and transplanted to service-connected left calf","status":"denied"}, {"condition_name":"left shoulder condition","status":"denied"}, {"condition_name":"low back condition","status":"remanded"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19196651
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 19196651.
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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