The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for spinocerebellar degeneration, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not related to his service-connected wound of the lumbar spine.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not diagnose the veteran with spinocerebellar degeneration during a June 1957 examination, and there is no post-service contemporaneous evidence documenting medical treatment for this condition from 1945 to 1967. The veteran's symptoms were first noted in the late 1960s.
- Claimed conditions
- spinocerebellar degeneration
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 21, 2001
- Citation
- 0116847
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0116847.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the service member's spinocerebellar degeneration and ataxia began during his active duty, and he is unable to take care of himself without regular assistance. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted, and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance is also granted.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for spinocerebellar degeneration, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The claims were previously denied in November 1998 without providing proper notice.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence. The neurological disorder, diagnosed as multiple sclerosis or spinocerebellar degeneration, is presumed to have been incurred during active service.
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