The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine, is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability. As a result, the appeal for secondary service connection is granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it less likely than not that there was a nexus between the Veteran's current cervical spine disability and his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability, but a private medical opinion concluded that the Veteran's cervical spine disability resulted from compensating for limitations resulting from his long years of suffering from chronic lumbar spine pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint and Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine, Advanced Spondylotic Changes of the Cervical Spine
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2014
- Citation
- 1447177
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 1447177.
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 is rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of the decision. A separate 20 percent rating for sleep impairment and muscle atrophy due to cervical spine disability is granted. Right upper extremity radiculopathy prior to November 8, 2016, is also granted a 40 percent rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim of service connection for a neck condition was granted, and he is now entitled to a 10 percent rating for his degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine. Other claims were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial ratings are remanded due to inadequate consideration of extraschedular criteria, lack of discussion regarding marked interference with employment, and need for additional examinations. The case is being referred back to the Director of Compensation Service for further review.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and service.
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