The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical strain disability (claimed as residuals of a neck injury) is denied because there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or immediately after active service, and the VA examiner found it less likely than not that the current cervical strain disability was caused by his military service.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for lumbar disc disease disability is denied as there is no evidence showing any incapacitating episodes in the past 12 months.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence of a chronic cervical strain disability during or immediately after active service. The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the current cervical strain disability was caused by his military service.,The Veteran's lumbar disc disease disability has resulted in forward flexion for the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Cervical Strain Disability (claimed as residuals of a neck injury)"}, {"condition_name":"Lumbar Disc Disease Disability"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19159969
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 19159969.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 20, 2023 for a 70 percent rating for service-connected PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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