The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine and radiculopathy of the upper left extremity as secondary to a cervical spine disability due to lack of evidence showing in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence linking the Veteran's current cervical spine disability to his military service, including non-freezing cold injury exposure. The Board also noted that there was not sufficient evidence for a finding of secondary service connection due to radiculopathy as it is not linked to the service-connected cervical spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis of the cervical spine, rheumatoid arthritis of the upper left extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20061369
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20061369.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, unspecified psychosis, arthritis of the lumbar spine, degenerative disc disease, multilevel spinal stenosis, and arthritis of the cervical spine and degenerative disc disease. The diagnoses are linked to in-service physical assaults.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and dismissed all other appeals related to various joint conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability including arthritis of the cervical spine, and herniated nucleus pulposus of cervical spine secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine and arthritis of the cervical spine, attributing these conditions to a motor vehicle accident in 1977 during active service.
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