The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's neck disability prior to June 20, 2018, and separate evaluations for left and right upper extremity radiculopathy prior to January 7, 2016.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran regarding his symptoms and their relationship to his service-connected neck disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease with cervical strain (neck disability), Left upper extremity radiculopathy, Right upper extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 9, 2025
- Citation
- 25006331
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 a separate 50 percent initial rating for insomnia as secondary to tinnitus, and denied an increased rating for tinnitus. The Board also granted service connection for headache disability, low back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, and right upper extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal for additional development, including a retrospective opinion regarding range of motion during flare-ups and requesting evidence pertaining to the Veteran's annual income prior to January 2010.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the cervical spine disability, a 30 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy, and restored a 40 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial compensable rating for a residual scar from cervical fusion on the basis of disfigurement and granted an initial 10 percent rating based on pain. The Board also denied initial ratings in excess of 20 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine with spinal fusion and stenosis, as well as right and left upper extremity radiculopathy.
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