The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the medical evidence did not show that his dorsal or cervical spine disorders are related to his service-connected low back disability.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations and MRI results showed no direct relationship between the veteran's dorsal and cervical spine conditions and his service-connected low back disorder, with all findings attributing symptoms to other causes such as myofascial pain syndrome and peripheral neuropathy.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative arthritis of L4-5, arthritis of the dorsal spine, arthritis of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- February 2, 2006
- Citation
- 0603025
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.
- Granted
The Board granted an evaluation of 10 percent, but no higher, prior to June 13, 2020, and a 30 percent rating thereafter for the Veteran's arthritis of the cervical spine.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a neck disorder, diagnosed as arthritis of the cervical spine, and a left leg disorder, diagnosed as arthritis of the left ankle.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including arthritis of the entire skeletal system (other than cervical spine, right shoulder, bilateral hands, and left foot), a left knee condition (other than arthritis), and other specific joints. The claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, bilateral knees, bilateral elbows, and bilateral shoulders to obtain new VA medical opinions that adequately address whether these conditions are related to military service or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.
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