The reduction in the rating for cervical spine disability from 30 percent to 10 percent, effective August 1, 2015, was improper and the 30 percent rating is restored.
The deciding factor: The reduction was not based on sustained improvement as required by VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spondylosis, Degenerative disc disease (DDD), Degenerative joint disease (DJD)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 19, 2019
- Citation
- 19187241
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,170 · Granted: 38% (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 19187241.
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 service-connected lumbar spine disability and other disabilities have been granted, including a TDIU based on his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's lumbar disorder, diagnosed as DDD and a lumbosacral strain, has been granted service connection. The Board found that the disability is related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions and a need for additional secondary service connection analysis.
- Granted
The Board has granted the readjudication of the claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, but denied the claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and breathing condition.
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