The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine, left shoulder strain, and right ankle strain. The denial is based on a lack of evidence showing that these conditions began during or were caused by his active service.,The Veteran was not diagnosed with any of these conditions until years after separation from service, and there is no medical evidence linking them to his military service.
The deciding factor: There is insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have chronic symptoms or injuries during service, and any post-service complaints are too remote from service to be related.,The VA medical opinions provided no clear explanation for why these conditions were not linked to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine (back condition), Left shoulder strain, Right ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2024
- Citation
- A24079180
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 A24079180.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine strain, right wrist sprain, right knee strain, left knee strain, and right ankle strain. The disabilities are all deemed to have begun during the Veteran's active duty.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, right ankle strain, and mild right foot retrocalcaneal spur as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that could be linked to the current disabilities.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for right ankle strain and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions leave her in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
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.