The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a sleep disorder secondary to the veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disorder with scoliosis, as there was no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic symptoms, and no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
The deciding factor: The lack of contemporaneous medical evidence and the absence of complaints or findings of a cervical spine disorder during and immediately after service, combined with the negative VA examination and medical opinions, led to the denial of both claims.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine disorder, sleep disorder secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disorder with scoliosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2008
- Citation
- 0816716
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and bilateral cataracts of the eyes.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for an increased rating for the left shoulder disorder, service connection for a cervical spine disorder, service connection for a right arm disorder, and service connection for a left arm disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity, lumbar radiculopathy as they were already granted. The claims for service connection for a right hip disorder, left hip disorder, right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, and cervical spine disorder are remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, and left hip disorder as they are inextricably intertwined with each other.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.