The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of a right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, and hemorrhoids. The Board has also granted service connection for left knee degenerative arthritis and right knee degenerative arthritis.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions were based on the absence of knee conditions in-service, which is not adequate for adjudication. The private medical opinion provided a clear link between the Veteran's traumatic injuries during service and his current bilateral knee arthritis.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Condition, Left Shoulder Condition, Hemorrhoids, Left Knee Degenerative Arthritis, Right Knee Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2023
- Citation
- 23004592
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 23004592.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased evaluation of his hemorrhoids, so the case is dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder condition, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between any current disability and service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current right shoulder condition or neck condition, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied. The claims of service connection for a neck condition as secondary to a service-connected right wrist condition and for bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to insufficient evidence.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for her service-connected hemorrhoids was denied as the evidence did not show large or thrombotic, irreducible hemorrhoids with excessive redundant tissue, evidencing frequent recurrence.
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.