The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability as secondary to the service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine and increased initial disability evaluations of 20 percent, but not more, for left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy and right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's cervical spine disability is due to his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the spine. The LLE and RLE radiculopathy are each moderate in severity, warranting a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8520.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical spine disability, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 7, 2025
- Citation
- A25041581
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for a bilateral knee disability, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and chronic pain syndrome due to untimely notices of disagreement.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disabilities, radiculopathies, a bladder disability, headaches, a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral conjunctivitis. The Board also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a cervical spine disability to obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing the Veteran's in-service treatment for pack palsy with residual weakness.
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