The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the cervical spine, finding no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service, nor any competent evidence linking them to a shell fragment wound to the posterior neck.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence of any more than a soft tissue wound to the neck during service, and the degenerative changes in the cervical spine were not shown until many years after discharge from service. The Board found that the veteran's current conditions were not related to his military service or the shell fragment wound.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2009
- Citation
- 0907277
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 degenerative arthritis and disc disease of the cervical spine, degenerative joint disease of both wrists, and degenerative joint disease of both hips as these conditions were not related to the veteran's active military service.
- 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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