The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder and bilateral shoulder disorder are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury that could be linked to active duty.
The deciding factor: There was no indication of a broken growth plate at C4-C5 during service, and subsequent medical records do not show any chronic symptoms related to the cervical spine disorder. The Veteran's current degenerative changes are deemed less likely due to any condition for which he was treated during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical Spine Disorder, Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 23, 2011
- Citation
- 1123904
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 1123904.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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- Granted
The Veteran's disability ratings for low back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy have been reduced from 40% and 10%, respectively, to 20% and 0%. The reduction was based on improvements shown in recent VA examinations.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder disorders, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral knee disorders, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work history. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.
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