The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability, as there was no probative evidence of record showing that the disability had its onset during active service or was causally related to an in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The May 2013 VA examiner opined that the Veteran's reported neck pain is not a common complication of the particular type of surgical procedure he underwent during his active service and is most likely of a different pathology altogether, thus denying service connection for the disability.
- Claimed conditions
- neck disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2025
- Citation
- 25007109
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death, as an appellant's claim does not survive their death.
- Denied
The Veteran was awarded service connection for allergic rhinitis based on the PACT Act, but an earlier effective date prior to August 10, 2022, is not warranted.
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