The Veteran's cervical spine and left shoulder disabilities have been rated at the minimum levels allowed by law. The VA has determined that neither condition warrants a higher rating based on current medical evidence.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support an increase in disability ratings for either condition, as there is no indication of more severe impairment or additional functional loss beyond what is already reflected in the current 10% and 20% ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spinal tendonitis with degenerative changes, Postoperative left shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 21, 2014
- Citation
- 1451888
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 1451888.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability was restored to a 30% rating from January 23, 2017. The claim for higher ratings for the left shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the veteran's postoperative left shoulder disability and assigned a 10 percent rating, effective from August 29, 2002.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's postoperative left shoulder disability, finding that the impairment did not meet criteria warranting a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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