If the VA already service-connected your bursitis (also called tendinitis, tendonitis, tendinopathy, tendinosis), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected bursitis commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (bursitis) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. Nexus letter sample and template →
Ongoing joint pain that limits work and daily activities is a recognized driver of secondary depression and anxiety. Note that the VA rates bursitis and tendinitis or tenosynovitis (trigger finger is a form of tenosynovitis) like degenerative arthritis, based on limitation of motion of the affected part, so ask that every affected joint be measured.
What you'd need: A mental health diagnosis and a provider opinion connecting the mood symptoms to living with the joint condition.
Long-term anti-inflammatory pain medicines (NSAIDs), a common treatment for bursitis and tendinitis, irritate the stomach and can cause reflux.
What you'd need: A GERD diagnosis, documentation of the pain medications, and a nexus opinion linking the reflux to that treatment.