The veteran's arthritis of the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and carpo-metacarpal joint, bilaterally is granted as service-connected due to its being proximately due to his service-connected generalized multiple joint arthritis.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner did not establish a clear intercurrent cause and the RO has not provided an intercurrent cause. Thus, service connection has been granted for a generalized arthritic process under Diagnostic Code 5003 and there is no basis to dissociate the arthritis of the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and carpo-metacarpal joint, bilaterally.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the cervical spine, arthritis of the thoracic spine, arthritis of the carpo-metacarpal joint, bilaterally
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 15, 2003
- Citation
- 0323986
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 0323986.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, unspecified psychosis, arthritis of the lumbar spine, degenerative disc disease, multilevel spinal stenosis, and arthritis of the cervical spine and degenerative disc disease. The diagnoses are linked to in-service physical assaults.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed all other appeals related to various joint conditions.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability including arthritis of the cervical spine, and herniated nucleus pulposus of cervical spine secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and arthritis of the cervical spine, attributing these conditions to a motor vehicle accident in 1977 during active service.
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