The Board denied service connection for bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the thoracolumbar spine disability and denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the thoracolumbar spine disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's upper extremity radiculopathy was caused or aggravated by his service-connected thoracolumbar spine disability, nor did it establish that he had ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine to warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, Thoracolumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2024
- Citation
- 24031665
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, spinal stenosis, and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy to obtain a more adequate medical opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied the motions for revision of the July 2015 rating decision on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) to assign higher disability ratings for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, right shoulder, and right elbow disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for status post bunionectomy and hallux rigidus of the left great toe, and remanded several other claims related to various conditions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD; left knee disability; right knee disability; thoracolumbar spine disability; sleep apnea; and left foot disability. The claims for fibromyalgia and a compensable rating for hearing loss were denied.
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