The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck/cervical spine disorder, lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylosis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, persistent depressive disorder, and restless leg syndrome have all been denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of an initial disability rating higher than 20 percent for lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylosis.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to service, and there is no evidence of a chronic disease in service or during the applicable presumption period. The Veteran did not file an informal claim for service connection for his back disorder until April 9, 2014, which is when he was granted service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"neck/cervical spine disorder"}, {"condition_name":"lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylosis"}, {"condition_name":"bilateral hearing loss"}, {"condition_name":"tinnitus"}, {"condition_name":"persistent depressive disorder"}, {"condition_name":"restless leg syndrome"}
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19191668
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 19191668.
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.
- 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.
- 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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