The veteran's claim for increased ratings was granted, with the current rating of 40 percent effective August 23, 2001. Separate ratings of 20 percent each were assigned for radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities, also effective August 23, 2001.
The deciding factor: The veteran's cervical spine condition resulted in mild but no more than mild incomplete paralysis of both upper extremities. The current ratings are based on the severity of his disability as determined by VA medical examinations conducted between January 2002 and February 2004, which did not show any significant neurological findings supportive of a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine (C5-6) decompression and fusion, Radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, Radiculopathy of the left upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 16, 2006
- Citation
- 0617698
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 0617698.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims that five prior rating decisions were products of clear and unmistakable error. The Board found that the Veteran's arguments constituted disagreements with how the Agency of Original Jurisdiction weighed evidence in final prior decisions, which cannot rise to the level of valid CUE claims.
- Granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the service-connected left upper extremity radiculopathy, effective from August 3, 2023.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of September 20, 2022 for the assignment of service connection and a disability rating of 20 percent for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity from September 20, 2022 to March 20, 2024.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including iliotibial band syndrome of the left knee, a cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the right and left upper extremities, alopecia totalis, a right hip disability, a left hip disability, a right elbow disability, a right shoulder disability, and a left shoulder disability.
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