The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder condition, left shoulder condition, and scars disability from bilateral shoulder surgery due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current shoulder conditions were incurred in or related to his military service. The Board found no credible evidence of an in-service injury or continuity of symptoms, and medical opinions generally concluded against a nexus between the claimed disabilities and service.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, scars from bilateral shoulder surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2025
- Citation
- 25005987
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 service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and a right hip disability, and granted a 30 percent rating for ureterolithiasis. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied, while other claims were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions of the left and right hands, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, and foot, but granted service connection for a right knee disability and fibromyalgia. The decision was based on medical evidence that did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a right elbow disability, left hand disability, and left shoulder disability to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions in relation to the Veteran's reported in-service injuries.
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