The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities did not manifest in service or within one year of service, and are not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities or sciatica of the lower extremities.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities did not manifest in service or within one year of service, and are not otherwise related to service.,After affording the benefit of the doubt, a current headache disability is related to service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a nexus between the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities and her military service. The lack of significant treatment during active service and the absence of chronic problems are key factors in this determination.,There is no current diagnosis for radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities or sciatica of the lower extremities, and the medical evidence does not support a nexus to service.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities did not manifest in service or within one year of service, and are not otherwise related to service. The lack of significant treatment during active service is key in this determination.,After considering all available evidence, including her military service records, the medical opinion supports a finding that the Veteran's current headache disability is related to her service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine disability, Lumbar spine disability, Radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, Radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, Sciatica of the left lower extremity, Sciatica of the right lower extremity, Left knee disorder, Right knee disorder, Joint pain, Headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 20, 2015
- Citation
- 1516877
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1516877.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to PTSD, but his headaches are denied due to lack of service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's headaches, which manifested as very frequent and prolonged attacks causing severe economic inadaptability, are granted a 50 percent disability rating for the entire period on appeal.
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