The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for his left shoulder and elbow disabilities, as he did not continuously pursue these issues within one year of the initial denials.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not timely appeal the February 2008 and April 2014 rating decisions that denied his claims, and thus is already in receipt of the earliest possible effective date based on his August 9, 2023, intent to file.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder impingement syndrome with rotator cuff tendonitis, left elbow, limitation of supination, left elbow strain (LOM, flexion)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25023173
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 833 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A25023173.
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 granted earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection, as well as awards of special monthly compensation and Dependents' Educational Assistance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a left shoulder disability to ensure that all necessary evidence is considered and an adequate medical examination is provided.
- Partly granted
The veteran was granted a 10% rating for right shoulder scars and service connection for left shoulder issues secondary to the right shoulder. The claim for erectile dysfunction was dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's request for a higher disability rating for both left shoulder and left elbow disabilities.
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