The veteran's cervical spine disability, including retained metallic foreign bodies from a gunshot wound, is currently rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5293 for intervertebral disc syndrome. The RO has increased the rating to 30 percent effective July 1999.
The deciding factor: The veteran's cervical spine disability includes retained metallic foreign bodies and manifests with limitation of rotation, some 'give-away' weakness due to pain, subjective complaints of numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, and x-ray evidence of arthritis. The RO assigned a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5293 for intervertebral disc syndrome, which was increased to 30 percent effective July 1999.
- Claimed conditions
- Retained metallic foreign bodies, right 2nd cervical vertebral area
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- February 4, 2003
- Citation
- 0302096
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (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 0302096.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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