The Board has granted service connection and an increased rating of 40 percent for myofascial pain syndrome affecting the cervical spine and left shoulder, but denied service connection for a skin disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms align with the criteria for a 40 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5299-5025 (fibromyalgia) due to widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points. The other conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings or separate diagnoses.
- Claimed conditions
- skin disorder, myofascial pain syndrome of the upper back and neck area with minimal degenerative changes of the cervical spine and left acromiclavicular joint
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 16, 2012
- Citation
- 1217431
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 1217431.
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 the Veteran's claims of service connection for low back disorder, skin disorder, tongue condition, right chest costochondritis, and right hand shaking due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, depression, migraine headaches, hypertension, abnormal heartbeat, bilateral eye condition (sensitivity to light), erectile dysfunction, skin disorder, upper spine condition, lower back condition, skeletal arthritis of entire joint system, left hip condition, right hip condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, left foot condition, and right foot condition have all been denied.,The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for any of these conditions due to a lack of current disability or no evidence linking the claimed conditions to his active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for a skin disorder and remanded the claim for bilateral foot disability due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset during or related to military service.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed all appeals as the Veteran died while his appeal was pending.
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