The Veteran's left shoulder disorder is not service-connected, and his thoracolumbar spine disability remains at a 40% evaluation. The right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with the thoracolumbar spine disability is remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be established as there is no evidence of left shoulder disorder during service or within one year thereafter, and continuity of symptoms since service has not been shown.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Shoulder Disorder, Degenerative Arthritis of the Thoracolumbar Spine with Spinal Stenosis Status Post Left Hemilaminectomy and Medial Facetectomy and Foraminotomy (previously rated as Lumbosacral Strain)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 24, 2023
- Citation
- 23023490
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 23023490.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, right ankle disorder, and anxiety disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly regarding his shoulder disorders and nasal surgeries. The claims for service connection have been remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been remanded due to the need for further evaluation. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not being granted earlier than November 25, 2019.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left shoulder disorders due to inadequate etiology opinions in the previous decision. The case will be reviewed with a VA examiner to determine if there is any relationship between the Veteran's current shoulder conditions and his military service.
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