The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date prior to August 7, 2014 for the grant of service connection for his right shoulder disability. The earliest evidence of a nexus between the diagnosed right shoulder disorder and the Veteran’s active duty service was shown in a May 14, 2015 VA examination.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there is no legal basis by which an effective date earlier than August 7, 2014 can be assigned for the grant of service connection for a right shoulder disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20005139
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board granted a 70% rating for PTSD from November 25, 2015 to August 12, 2024 and a 40% rating for the right shoulder disability. It also granted 10% ratings for both feet and 20% ratings for knee patellofemoral pain syndromes.
- Remanded (sent back)
The character of the appellant's uncharacterized discharge is not a bar to the receipt of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits; to this extent only, the claim is granted.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including PTSD, IBS, cardiac arrhythmia, CFS, chronic headaches, chronic sinusitis, dyspnea, and fibromyalgia. The claim for bilateral pes planus was remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to ensure compliance with VA's duty to assist.
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