The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of arthritis of the back, bilateral hips, and bilateral shoulders due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and his military service. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents or other presumptive diseases.
The deciding factor: The Board determined there was no medical evidence linking the Veteran's current arthritis diagnoses to his military service, including any potential link to Agent Orange exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the back, arthritis of the right hip, arthritis of the left hip, arthritis of the right shoulder, arthritis of the left shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 29, 2023
- Citation
- 23063178
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23063178.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability is remanded due to the need for an orthopedic examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of his claimed condition. The examiner must identify each diagnosed back disability entity, its likely etiology, and whether it is at least as likely as not related to service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for various musculoskeletal conditions have been granted, with a specific rating of 40 percent for the right upper extremity weakness resulting from stroke.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's arthritis of the back is granted service connection based on continuity of symptomatology.,Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted due to its presumptive relationship as a qualifying chronic disability under Persian Gulf War criteria.,Service connection for a skin disability, manifested by rashes of the hands and feet, is granted based on continuity of symptoms since service.,Service connection for a gynecological disability, residuals of hysterectomy, is granted based on continuity of symptoms since service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in anatomical loss or use of both hands, blindness in both eyes, deep partial thickness burns, full thickness or subdermal burns, or residuals of an inhalation injury.
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