The Board has granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for chronic cervical strain from April 4, 1995 to July 23, 2000 and a 30 percent evaluation for chronic right trapezius and pectoralis muscle strain and right shoulder tendonitis since July 24, 2000.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service connection claims were granted based on direct evidence of his current disabilities from military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Cervical Strain, Right Trapezius and Pectoralis Muscle Strain and Right Shoulder (Major) Tendinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- March 14, 2003
- Citation
- 0304850
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 999 · Granted: 31% (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 0304850.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further evaluation and determination of service connection for kidney stones, which were not addressed in the original decision.
- Granted
The Veteran is entitled to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability prior to February 13, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities. On or after February 13, 2015, the combined rating of his service-connected disabilities does not meet the criteria for TDIU.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating based on functional loss due to pain or other factors.
- Granted
The veteran's headaches, secondary to his service-connected chronic cervical strain with limitation of motion of the upper extremities, are currently rated at 10 percent.
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