The Board denied earlier effective dates for the Veteran's claims, finding that an intervening claim consumed his September 2021 intent to file a claim.
The deciding factor: An earlier effective date is not supported by the evidence of record as the Veteran's September 2021 ITF was consumed by an October 2021 supplemental claim filing.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and labral tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and labral tear, right elbow olecranon bursitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 21, 2025
- Citation
- A25036174
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 ratings of 30 percent or higher for the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine osteoarthritis with intervertebral disc syndrome, right shoulder strain, left elbow olecranon bursitis, right elbow olecranon bursitis, and headaches. Service connection was also granted for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) under the PACT Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for a higher rating of right elbow olecranon bursitis was remanded. The Board needs more information about the severity during flare-ups.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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