The Board has granted service connection for cervical and lumbar degenerative disc disease, cervical and lumbar spondylosis, lateral wedge compression fracture at L3, and acquired mid-lumbar levoscoliosis. The other issues were not resolved in favor of the veteran.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no relationship between the current spine diagnoses and active service based on a lack of documented spine complaints during service; however, the Board concluded that the veteran's testimony carried at least as much weight as this negative opinion due to his medical training.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine spondylosis, lateral wedge compression fracture at L3, acquired mid-lumbar levoscoliosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 11, 2006
- Citation
- 0638485
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,440 · Granted: 30% (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 0638485.
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
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder. The AOJ is required to obtain new opinions addressing whether the Veteran's cervical spine disorder resulted from in-service injury or service-connected disability, and whether it was caused by or a result of his service-connected knee and/or thoracolumbar spine disabilities.
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