Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left shoulder DJD were denied. The rating for the right shoulder DJD was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code (DC) 5201.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left shoulder DJD, which had been rated under DC 5010-5201 and later reassigned to DC 5051, was also denied. The rating of 30 percent under DC 5051 was maintained.

The deciding factor: The evidence did not show any findings that would warrant a higher rating for either shoulder DJD.

Claimed conditions
Right Shoulder Degenerative Disc Disease (DJD), Left Shoulder DJD, Status-post Total Replacement Surgery
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
April 22, 2020
Citation
20028448

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 20028448.

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.

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.