The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability had its onset in service and is at least as likely as not related to an in-service injury. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability is granted.
The deciding factor: The opinion from Dr. A.A., based on a thorough review of the Veteran’s medical records including his lay statements, supported the Veteran's claim that his neck pain started in service and continued after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical degenerative disc disease, Degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19124743
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 19124743.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a total disability rating from August 22, 2019, and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate from September 30, 2019. The Veteran is also granted individual unemployability based on service-connected disabilities from December 1, 2013.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, cervical degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, and radiculopathies of the upper and lower extremities. A 30 percent rating was also granted for vertigo associated with TBI.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent evaluation for the Veteran's right upper and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, but denied an increased rating for cervical degenerative disc disease.
- Denied
The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, and spinal fusion of the lumbar spine was denied as the Veteran failed to attend a necessary VA examination without good cause shown.
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