Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disability and loss of sense of taste, finding that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis or etiology related to active service.,Service connection was also denied for the Veteran's claimed loss of sense of taste, as there is no objective clinical diagnosis of such a condition.

The deciding factor: The Board determined that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding that the left shoulder disability or loss of sense of taste were related to active service.,There was also insufficient evidence to establish a current chronic disability for the claimed loss of sense of taste.

Claimed conditions
left shoulder disability, loss sense of taste
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
July 8, 2020
Citation
20045659

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 20045659.

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.