The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right shoulder disability and an initial compensable rating for his skin disability. The Board found that the pre-existing right shoulder condition did not worsen during service, and thus service connection was denied. For the skin disability, the Board noted that it involved less than 5% of the entire body or exposed areas, with no more than topical therapy required over the past year, resulting in a denial of an initial compensable rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's right shoulder condition was not aggravated by service and thus did not warrant service connection. For his skin disability, the examiner noted it involved less than 5% of exposed areas with no more than topical therapy required over the past year.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder condition, skin disability
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20053670
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 20053670.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, left upper extremity nerve condition, headache condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right shoulder condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral pes planus, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's skin disability is remanded for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his condition, including whether it is related to service or toxic exposure risk activities. The Veteran also needs to provide authorization forms for private treatment records.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including psychiatric disorders, chronic fatigue, congestive heart failure, DM II, hypertension, and a right shoulder condition. The Veteran's claims were based on presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
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.