The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is not service-connected and was not caused by VA treatment, resulting in a denial of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran’s current cervical spine condition is causally related to his October 2012 prostate biopsy and sepsis.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2019
- Citation
- 19181364
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of cervical spine, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and scar on neck as secondary to a lumbar spine disability due to an inadequate VA examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is currently rated at 10 percent from November 1, 2006 to September 25, 2019 and at 20 percent thereafter. The Board has granted a higher rating of 20 percent for the period after September 25, 2019.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- 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.
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