The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disorder and an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish that the veteran's current neck disorder was related to his period of active duty or secondary to his service-connected back disability. The veteran's degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine was found to be unrelated to his service and not caused by, or aggravated beyond its normal progression by, his lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- neck disorder (degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2009
- Citation
- 0905446
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for PTSD, a neck disorder, and the reopening of a previously denied claim for a low back disorder due to lack of evidence supporting an association between these conditions and the veteran's active duty.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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