The Board has granted service connection for Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine and Left Eye Disability with Defective Vision and Scarring, finding these conditions are related to military service. Service connection was denied for a Back Disability (Low Back Pain).
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and left eye disability were found to be at least as likely as not caused by or a result of in-service injuries, specifically an incident involving the APC hatch cover and exposure to herbicide agents. The low back pain was determined to be more likely related to normal physiologic age-related changes than military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine, Left Eye Disability with Defective Vision and Scarring
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0942115
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 0942115.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, disability manifested by skin rash and lesions on feet and hands, respiratory disability manifested by difficulty breathing, disability manifested by muscle pain and cramping, and joint pain in arms and legs, and chronic headaches, all due to an undiagnosed illness.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, including diabetes, erectile dysfunction, bilateral shoulder disability, hemorrhoids, and knee and ankle disabilities, was dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's PTSD, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with IVDS and spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left hip, left shoulder, and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.
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