The Board denied the claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability, based on medical evidence showing no relationship between the two conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found that the cervical DDD was not related to the veteran's service-connected left knee disability and had first manifested many years post-service.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2009
- Citation
- 0911585
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cervical and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, left elbow sprain, right elbow enthesophyte, left knee strain and enthesophyte, right knee strain, and right leg radiculopathy but denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Granted
The Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent, but not higher, for a back disability; 30 percent, but not higher, for cervical spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), left hip disability, migraine headaches, sinusitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple musculoskeletal disabilities, including cervical spine degenerative disc disease and bilateral joint osteoarthritis, based on in-service exposure to PCBs.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of cervical spine degenerative disc disease to allow for readjudication based on new and relevant evidence.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.