The Board has determined that an effective date earlier than June 19, 2004 is warranted for the grant of service connection for cervical strain with degenerative disc disease at C5-6. The Veteran's claim was filed on June 23, 2003 and later expanded to include a neck injury.
The deciding factor: The evidence demonstrates that the Veteran was treated for a neck/cervical spine disability as early as January 1996, and his June 23, 2003 communication was construed as an informal claim for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back condition (later specified as a neck injury involving the cervical spine).
- Claimed conditions
- cervical strain with degenerative disc disease at C5-6
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 8, 2009
- Citation
- 0946456
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 0946456.
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
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