The Veteran's cervical spine disability and upper extremity radiculopathy were granted service connection in December 2013 with initial evaluations of 20 percent each. The Veteran seeks earlier effective dates for these grants.,The Veteran also seeks service connection for depression, which was found to be secondary to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's cervical spine disability and upper extremity radiculopathy were granted in December 2013 with initial evaluations of 20 percent each. The effective date is set at December 19, 2012 as the earliest date entitlement arose.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine degenerative disc disease with disc herniation C6-C7 with a history of kyphosis, Right and left upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2018
- Citation
- 1805308
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1805308.
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: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including thoracolumbar and cervical spine conditions, preclude locomotion without the aid of a walker, warranting eligibility for specially adapted housing.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) as she did not meet the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's appeal for additional VR&E services, including training to pursue a medical degree, was granted. The Board found that the Veteran had service-connected disabilities and functional limitations that made it necessary to change his rehabilitation goal from biomedical sciences to medicine.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the TDIU claim is granted. The left elbow disability issue remains pending due to a lack of VA examination.
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