The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders and neck, finding no evidence linking these conditions to active service or a service-connected disability.,Both the bilateral shoulder condition and neck condition are considered 'direct' service connection cases, meaning they were not caused by a service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to support a link between the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis of the shoulders and neck and her active military service. The opinions provided did not find any direct causation or aggravation from service.,There were no in-service complaints, diagnoses, or treatment records linking the Veteran’s current conditions to her time in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders, Degenerative arthritis of the neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 22, 2022
- Citation
- 22065481
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 22065481.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, as he did not meet the schedular criteria and there was no reasonable possibility that his service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions provided in March and August 2023 are inadequate to address all of the issues raised by the Veteran's representative. The Board is therefore remanding the case for further examination and opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for osteoarthritis in the bilateral fingers, other than right little finger and for an undiagnosed illness (claimed as fatigue). Service connection was also denied for degenerative arthritis of the bilateral shoulders. The Veteran's claims were decided on a direct basis without any presumption or secondary relationship to service-connected conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA medical examiner to address whether the Veteran's bilateral ankle and shoulder disabilities are secondary to her service-connected bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran is also seeking clarification on the status of her claims.
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.