The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting congenital fusion of the C2-3 vertebrae with degenerative disc disease at C3 through C7 was aggravated during service, and his headaches are secondary to his cervical spine disability. The Veteran's dorsal (thoracic) spine disorder is also considered secondary to his cervical spine disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting congenital fusion of the C2-3 vertebrae with degenerative disc disease at C3 through C7 was aggravated during service, and his headaches are secondary to his cervical spine disability. The dorsal (thoracic) spine disorder is also considered secondary to his cervical spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, Congenital blocked vertebra at C2-3 (cervical spine disability), Headaches, Dorsal (thoracic) spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2011
- Citation
- 1137127
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 1137127.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that there is no nexus between the current disability and active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding whether the Veteran's current conditions are aggravated by his service-connected DDD of the lumbosacral spine. The AOJ is required to obtain new medical opinions addressing this issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to PTSD, but his headaches are denied due to lack of service connection.
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