The Board granted service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease, finding that the evidence supports a causal relationship between the condition and an in-service motor vehicle accident.
The deciding factor: The positive medical opinion from the private orthopedic surgeon supported the claim, taking into account the Veteran's statements regarding increased symptoms in the late 1980s or early 1990s and noting that initial traumatic injuries can lead to degenerative changes over time, even if not apparent on initial x-rays.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25050100
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 Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral foot disability, knee disability, ankle disability, cervical degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and cervicalgia, secondary to a service-connected lumbar strain, as well as GERD. The claims of readjudication were also granted.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the neck, left wrist ganglion cyst, and left wrist scar; granted increased ratings for the bilateral CTS and hypertension for part of the periods of appeal; and remanded the issues of increased ratings for bilateral CTS with radiculopathy from June 20, 2022, and entitlement to a TDIU prior to June 20, 2022.
- Granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 30 percent for cervical degenerative disc disease, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease, cervical degenerative joint disease, and bilateral upper and lower extremity radiculopathy as the probative evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active military service.
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