The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to his service-connected peripheral neuropathy, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The cervical spine disability is found to be aggravated by a service-connected condition (peripheral neuropathy), but not caused or aggravated by service or service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion established that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was at least as likely as not aggravated by his peripheral neuropathy, which he contends is related to his service. The cervical spine disability was found unrelated to service or a service-connected condition based on the lack of evidence of continuity of symptomatology and the absence of any indication that it existed during active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical Spine Disability, Lumbar Spine Disability (other than compression fracture)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 3, 2013
- Citation
- 1328102
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 1328102.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for TMD, cervical spine disability, and FSAD have been denied.,An earlier effective date prior to August 2, 2022, for the award of service connection for these conditions has also been denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service connection claims for erectile dysfunction and voiding dysfunction have been denied due to the lack of evidence linking these conditions to his in-service exposure.,The remaining service connection claims (for bilateral feet, ankles, hip, wrist, cervical spine, upper extremity radiculopathy, psychiatric disorder, GERD, sleep apnea, and hypertension) are remanded for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo new VA examinations to assess her current and retrospective severity of these disabilities.
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