The Board has granted an evaluation of 40 percent for the appellant's combined cervical/dorsal spine disability prior to January 2, 2002.
The deciding factor: The clinical evidence showed that from February 1997 to the present, the appellant's cervical and dorsal spine disabilities more closely approximated findings required for a severe evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical Spine Degenerative Disc Disease, Dorsal Spine Degenerative Changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 9, 2006
- Citation
- 0613518
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 0613518.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a left hip disability, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease with arthritis. The right hip disability was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for various equipment purchases and home modifications under the independent living plan through VA’s VR&E program is remanded due to incomplete documentation, lack of a Vocational Rehabilitation evaluation, and unavailability of certain records. The AOJ must ensure all relevant documents are obtained and associate them with the claims file.
- Granted
The Board has determined that new and material evidence was presented to reopen the claim of service connection for a cervical spine disability. The Veteran's current diagnosis of cervical spine degenerative disc disease is considered etiologically related to his active duty service, with more weight given to the opinion from Dr. B. than the VA examination.
- Denied
The VA has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent since January 1, 2001.
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