The Veteran's cervical spine DJD is granted service connection based on a presumption of service connection due to the PACT Act. The right knee disorder, tendonitis and patellofemoral pain syndrome, is denied as not related to service. Service connection for hypothyroidism is also granted but with an initial 10 percent disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's DJD of the cervical spine was diagnosed during service and has been present since then, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection under the PACT Act. The right knee disorders are not related to in-service physical training or treatment as there is no evidence of current symptoms or diagnoses near service separation.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the cervical spine, Tendonitis and Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19139452
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,200 · Granted: 43% (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 19139452.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for cervical spine DJD, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy due to incomplete development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical and lumbosacral spine disabilities have been remanded due to new treatment records showing possible worsening of his conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disability, including whether it is related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, effective February 5, 2022. The rating for LUE radiculopathy remains unchanged.
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