The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, left shoulder, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and right wrist/hand disabilities due to lack of objective evidence showing these conditions within a year of separation from service. The Veteran's assertions that symptoms could be traced back to service were not credible given the long period since separation.
The deciding factor: The Board found no medical evidence linking any of the claimed disabilities to active service, and treatment records indicated they were related to work-related injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical spine disability, Right shoulder disability, Left shoulder disability, Right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, Left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, Right carpal tunnel syndrome, Left carpal tunnel syndrome, Right hand disability, Right wrist disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20074097
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,451 · Granted: 22% (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 20074097.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim for bilateral knee disabilities and his right and left knee scars have been granted. He is now rated at a combined 60% disability rating from June 1, 2018 based on bilateral factors for his bilateral knee disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for brain cancer, low back disability, and cervical spine disability due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain a radiation dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health. The Veteran's military service aboard USS ENTERPRISE is considered relevant to his exposure to ionizing radiation.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine condition had its onset in service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.
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