The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is rated at 60 percent since April 24, 2018. His thoracolumbar spine disorder is rated at 40 percent since December 9, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had six weeks of incapacitating episodes due to intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) during the past 12 months, meeting the criteria for a 60 percent rating under DC 5243.
- Claimed conditions
- Mechanical cervical pain syndrome, Mechanical back pain syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19117162
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,836 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19117162.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for mechanical back pain syndrome due to a duty-to-assist error. The case will be returned for a VA examination and an addendum opinion.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis on a presumptive basis and denied service connection for sinusitis, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for mechanical back pain syndrome.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a Statement of the Case must be issued for the issue of an effective date prior to April 25, 2014, for service connection of mechanical back pain syndrome. The Veteran and his representative agree this is necessary.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability is found to be the primary cause of his current GERD and mechanical back pain syndrome, which are now granted for service connection.
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