The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of cervical and lumbar spine conditions are not related to service, including a pre-service neck condition. The weight of evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found it less likely than not that any current diagnosis is related to service due to the absence of in-service complaints and findings on x-rays and MRI, which suggest onset after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the cervical spine, Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the cervical spine, Compression fracture in the lumbar spine at L3
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 29, 2017
- Citation
- 1709917
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 1709917.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examiner's opinion regarding whether his service-connected disabilities result in loss of use and if so, whether he requires aid and attendance without considering such disability/ies. The Veteran also needs to be considered for SMC R1 based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine and a rating in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity prior to June 3, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for cervical spine DJD, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy due to incomplete development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU due to inadequate examination reports in the previous decisions. The Veteran needs a new VA examination to assess his cervical spine disability, including range of motion during flare-ups and repeated use.
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