The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right arm/shoulder disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his 1991 ACDUTRA injury. The most persuasive evidence indicated that his symptoms did not begin until many years after the incident.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's lay statements were inconsistent and less persuasive than the VA examiner's opinion, which considered the relevant medical records and chronology of symptom onset.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease of the Acromioclavicular Joint, Right Rotator Cuff Tear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 17, 2022
- Citation
- 22058073
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 22058073.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any right shoulder disability, including whether it is related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a new VA examination and review of treatment records, particularly from St. Anthony's.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right shoulder, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities due to potential service connection issues. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to service or preexisting conditions.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder injury is not related to his military service and denied the claim for service connection. The Veteran was diagnosed with a right rotator cuff tear, but the VA examiner concluded it is less likely than not incurred in service.
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