The Board has determined that the Veteran's thoracic and cervical spine conditions are not service-connected, as they are not shown to have manifested during or been caused by his military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations did not find any evidence of a pre-service injury or condition for either the thoracic or cervical spine. The Veteran's current spinal disorders were diagnosed after service and there is no medical opinion linking them directly to his in-service shoulder injury.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracic disc disease, Cervical spine disc disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 11, 2009
- Citation
- 0930088
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0930088.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for right eye hyperphoria prior to December 4, 2014 is dismissed. The appeals for increased ratings of right eye hyperphoria, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and cervical spine disc disease are remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of cervical spine disc disease has been denied. The Board also found that the Veteran's right shoulder injury is not service-connected and remanded both issues to obtain additional medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's increased rating for cervical spine disc disease, C5-C6 and C7, with muscle spasm is granted to the entire period on appeal.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that more current clinical findings of the Veteran's PTSD are needed to adjudicate the appeal, and therefore, the case is being remanded for further development.
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