The VA determined that the Veteran's additional disabilities, including chronic neck and left arm pain, left arm numbness, and left arm muscle loss, were not caused by or related to the December 2005 cervical spine surgery performed at a VA Medical Center.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinion concluded that the Veteran's additional disabilities did not result from the December 2005 surgical procedure and found no evidence of negligence or fault on the part of VA in providing the care.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic neck and left arm pain, left arm numbness, left arm muscle loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2016
- Citation
- 1608774
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 1608774.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for left arm numbness, seborrhea dermatitis, and sleep apnea as there was no persuasive evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for anemia, liver hepatic steatosis, bilateral knee disorders, left arm numbness, and sleep apnea due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for left arm numbness due to inadequate medical evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral athlete's foot, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain syndrome, left arm numbness, left leg cramps, right leg cramps, and a urinary tract disorder as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a relationship to service.
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.