The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative changes are currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence shows that his symptoms have worsened and he now has a more severe disability. The Board finds an increased rating of 20 percent is warranted.
The deciding factor: The VA examination showed that the Veteran had episodes of increased neck pain with overall functional loss due to pain that more nearly approximated forward flexion to less than 30 degrees but more than 15 degrees, warranting a higher initial rating of 20 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis and osteoarthritis, degenerative spinal stenosis, spondylosis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0933451
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0933451.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active duty service. The claims for higher ratings and effective dates have been withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal was remanded to schedule the veteran for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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