The Board granted service connection for a neck disability and denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome and lumbosacral strain. The claims for increased ratings were remanded.

The deciding factor: The evidence was in approximate balance, so the benefit of the doubt rule applied to grant service connection for the neck disability. For the back disability, the effective date could not be earlier than June 5, 2022, as that was when the Veteran filed her intent to file a claim.

Claimed conditions

neck disability, intervertebral disc syndrome and lumbosacral strain, left shoulder strain, left upper extremity paresthesia

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

October 7, 2025

Citation

A25086653

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