The Board denied service connection for left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and right shoulder impingement syndrome with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, finding that the disabilities are not related to service or manifested within one year of separation from service.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records did not show any shoulder injuries or reports of pain. The Veteran's contemporaneous statements on separation were more credible than his later inconsistent claims regarding when he first experienced shoulder pain during service.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, right shoulder impingement syndrome with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 14, 2021
- Citation
- 21022135
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 21022135.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral hip disability, neck strain, and right knee arthritis. The claim for residuals of heat stroke is remanded.
- Denied
The Veteran's left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis is currently rated at 20 percent, effective August 11, 2013. The Board found that the disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's request to restore a higher rating for his left shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, strain and rotator cuff tendonitis from 30% back to 20%, finding that the evidence did not show severity of symptoms resulting in limitation of flexion of the left arm to midway between the side and shoulder level.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right shoulder disabilities are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
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