The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's cervical spine disability and a 30 percent rating for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity effective February 25, 2019.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's cervical spine disability approximates severe limitation of motion of the cervical spine; unfavorable ankylosis is not shown or approximated. The radiculopathy of the left upper extremity approximates at most moderate incomplete paralysis of the lower radicular group of the minor arm from February 25, 2019.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease with osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and retrolisthesis (cervical spine disability), Radiculopathy of the left upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 20, 2025
- Citation
- 25014225
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (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 25014225.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability and radiculopathy of both upper extremities have been granted increased ratings, with the left upper extremity receiving a higher rating due to more severe symptoms.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical strain is currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating.,There is no current diagnosis of radiculopathy of the left upper extremity. The Veteran's service-connected cervical strain did not result in this condition.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for cervical spine disability and bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy was improper, as there is evidence indicating these conditions were incurred during service. The appeal is granted.
- Denied
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 30 percent, and the ratings for radiculopathy of both upper extremities are denied. The appeal is not about service connection but rather about rating determinations.
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