The Veteran's claim for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine has been denied. The Board also found that there is no evidence to support an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine.
The deciding factor: Service connection was not established due to lack of a showing of chronic disability during or within one year after service, and the opinion from the December 2011 VA examiner found no medical basis linking the cervical spine disorder to service-connected bilateral hip and/or lumbar spine disorders.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine, Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbosacral Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 29, 2012
- Citation
- 1222853
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 1222853.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, left sciatic radicular pain, and headaches. It also granted an initial rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a rating of 30 percent for lipoma of the skin on the back of the head. The claims for increased ratings for right knee strain with shin splints and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were denied, as was the claim for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.