The Board granted service connection for right shoulder, left shoulder, and cervical spine disabilities, an earlier effective date of July 22, 2022, for a 50 percent rating for other specific trauma and stressor related disorder, and a 20 percent initial rating for hypertension.
The deciding factor: The probative evidence established that the Veteran's right shoulder, left shoulder, and cervical spine disabilities were incurred during his period of active service in Fort Gordon, Georgia. The severity of the psychiatric disability more closely approximated occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity since July 22, 2022.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder disability, Left shoulder disability, Cervical spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- March 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25027629
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 252 · Granted: 33% (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 A25027629.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU claim for bilateral knee disabilities and his right and left knee scars have been granted. He is now rated at a combined 60% disability rating from June 1, 2018 based on bilateral factors for his bilateral knee disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for brain cancer, low back disability, and cervical spine disability due to a pre-decisional error in failing to obtain a radiation dose estimate from the Under Secretary for Health. The Veteran's military service aboard USS ENTERPRISE is considered relevant to his exposure to ionizing radiation.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine condition had its onset in service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.
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