The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of cervical spine disorder and increased rating for his lumbar back disability. The veteran's cervical spine disorder was not found to be caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability, including herniated nucleus pulposus, lumbar paravertebral myositis with tenosynovitis, and L4-5 bulging disc. For the period prior to July 31, 1996, the veteran's service-connected back disability did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent. As of July 31, 1996, the criteria for a higher rating were also not met.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the cervical spine disorder was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical Spine Disorder, Herniated Nucleus Pulposus, Lumbar Paravertebral Myositis with Tenosynovitis, and L4-5 Bulging Disc
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 12, 2006
- Citation
- 0601007
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 0601007.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is dismissed as the Veteran was granted service connection effective from the date of his claim.,Service connection for bilateral tinnitus is denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder disorders, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral knee disorders, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work history. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions provided in his VA examinations. The claims include tension headaches, a psychiatric disability (diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder), a cervical spine disorder, hand tremors, a lumbosacral spine disorder, a gastrointestinal disorder, and residuals of a hydrocele.
- Dismissed
The appeal for PTSD is dismissed. The cervical spine and left middle finger disorders are remanded.
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.