The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability, which is manifested by pain and limited motion, does not warrant a higher rating as it currently meets the criteria for a 10 percent evaluation.
The deciding factor: The most recent VA examination found forward flexion of the cervical spine to be limited to 40 degrees and a combined range of motion of 215 degrees. These findings do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as required by Diagnostic Code 5237.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical degenerative disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19188211
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 19188211.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for several conditions, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the original 2012 rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a neck injury to include cervical strain, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that his current condition began during active service or is related to an in-service injury. The right shoulder disorder and migraines were separately granted.
- 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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