The Board has determined that the Veteran's neck disability is not etiologically related to active service, as a chronic neck disability was not present in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of service discharge. The most probative evidence does not relate the Veteran's neck disability to his active service.
The deciding factor: The April 2016 VA examiner opined that the Veteran's cervical spine condition is less likely than not to have been incurred in or caused by an in-service event, injury or illness due to the findings being consistent with a general population and the lack of documentation regarding neck injuries in service.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral degenerative disc disease (DDD), degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 31, 2018
- Citation
- 1829286
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 1829286.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal regarding severance of service connection for right and left lower sciatic radiculopathy and an increased rating for lumbosacral DDD during a hearing, and these issues are dismissed.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for lumbosacral DDD and LLE femoral radiculopathy are remanded due to the need for additional examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal regarding TDIU is being remanded for further review. The issue of an increased rating for cervical spine DJD has not been properly appealed and will be considered separately.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including the evaluation of DJD of the thoracolumbar and cervical spine, separate ratings for radiculopathy, service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to service-connected disabilities, and TDIU. The effective date issue remains pending.
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