The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine degenerative joint disease and hypertension, as well as his claim for service connection for a bilateral eye condition. The decision found that the Veteran's conditions did not warrant higher evaluations based on the criteria provided in the VA rating schedule.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated at 20 percent, which is the highest schedular rating available under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Board found that his range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation based on limitation of motion.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical Spine Degenerative Joint Disease, Bilateral Cataracts
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 9, 2018
- Citation
- 1801128
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 1801128.
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 meets the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings for his service-connected conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and remanded claims for service connection, increased ratings, and TDIU.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hypertension, headaches, bilateral cataracts, and left hand osteoarthritis as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.
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