The Board found that the veteran's cervical disc disease, acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), and lumbar spine disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The disorders are also not presumed to have been incurred therein. Service connection was denied for these conditions as they are not related to service or a service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the medical evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection, and found no evidence linking the veteran's current spinal and psychiatric disorders to her military service or any service-connected disabilities. The diagnoses were also not supported by continuity of symptomatology since service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical disc disease, Acquired psychiatric disorder (depression), Lumbar spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2006
- Citation
- 0604708
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 initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right knee disorder, and a lumbar spine disorder.
- Partly granted
The appeal was denied for service connection of a cervical spine disorder, and several claims were remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to July 1, 2015, and from January 10, 2017, as well as an effective date earlier than July 1, 2015, for the award of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.
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