The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his cervical torticollis and left knee conditions. The VA found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA determined that there was no medical evidence or disability comparable to fractured cervical vertebra or ankylosis, which would warrant higher ratings under specific diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- torticollis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 14, 2003
- Citation
- 0307136
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 499 · Granted: 18% (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 0307136.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new and material evidence having been received. The issues of entitlement to service connection for neck disability, torticollis, back disability, and essential tremors are now before the Board.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded another opportunity to undergo VA examinations for his service-connected cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities due to concerns related to the COVID pandemic. The claims for increased evaluations are subject to denial if the Veteran fails to appear for the scheduled examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his neck and left knee disabilities, as well as service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea are being remanded due to outstanding records not having been obtained. The Veteran's VA treatment records suggest there may be relevant private treatment records that have not been associated with the claims file.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for torticollis, claimed as secondary to a low back disability (spondylolisthesis L4-5 with degenerative disc disease), and denied entitlement to special monthly compensation based on the Veteran's need for aid and attendance.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.