The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and special monthly compensation, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or entitlement to SMC.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record did not show that the Veteran's conditions warranted a higher rating than those already assigned.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic orthopedic symptoms of cervical spine disability, status post-operative, cervical radiculopathy, left (minor) upper extremity, surgical scar residual, posterior neck, cervical radiculopathy, right upper extremity (major), surgical scar residual, anterior neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2024
- Citation
- A24071268
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cervical radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability and denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for a cervical spine disability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral sciatica and remanded the claims for cervicalgia and cervical radiculopathy due to a need for additional evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for cervical radiculopathy to obtain an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's disability is related to in-service injuries and aggravated by a service-connected lumbar condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical radiculopathy, herniated disc, and spinal stenosis to obtain VA examinations to determine their nature and etiologies.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.