The veteran's cervical spine disability is not service-connected, and her diabetes mellitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The right thumb disability has been granted as service-connected but the initial evaluation remains at 20%.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence linking the veteran's cervical spine disability to service or a service-connected condition. Diabetes mellitus was first diagnosed years after service and there is no evidence of its onset during service. The right thumb disability has been granted as service-connected but the initial evaluation remains at 20%.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine disability, Diabetes mellitus, Right thumb disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 17, 2007
- Citation
- 0714766
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 0714766.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for brain cancer, low back disability, and cervical spine disability due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain a radiation dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health. The Veteran's military service aboard USS ENTERPRISE is considered relevant to his exposure to ionizing radiation.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine condition had its onset in service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of ambulance travel expenses incurred on June 17, 2025 due to an emergency heart attack. The ambulance service was provided by a volunteer organization and later intercepted by a higher-tier EMT company.
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