Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from June 19, 2016 to October 27, 2019.

The Board granted service connection for vertigo as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and dismissed the appeal for sleep apnea. The claims for a cervical spine disability and bilateral radiculopathy were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine, degenerative changes of the cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as there was no evidence to support a current diagnosis or a link to active service.

The appeal for an increased rating for a low back condition was denied, while the claims for service connection for bilateral knee, cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, and bilateral wrist conditions were remanded.

The Board granted the Veteran's appeal for reinstatement of a 20 percent rating and an increased rating to 30 percent for cervical strain.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability as further development is needed.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine (neck) disability based on new and relevant evidence provided by the Veteran.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine, left elbow, and left foot to correct a duty to assist error that occurred prior to the March 2024 decision on appeal.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine spondylosis, a left shoulder condition, and PTSD. The claims for a left knee condition, right knee condition, and right ankle condition were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a right hip disability and cervical spine disability for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology and pathophysiology of the conditions.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine condition and granted the request to readjudicate the claim for entitlement to service connection for left shoulder strain.

The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder, finding that his symptoms were productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disability, left hip disability, stomach disability (also claimed as diarrhea), and neck disability due to lack of evidence of current disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart disease, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder due to a lack of compliance with prior remand directives.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of residuals of a cervical spine injury due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board denied higher staged ratings for lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, but granted an effective date of January 11, 2017, for special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board granted a 40 percent disability rating for lumbar spine strain with IVDS from May 13, 2011, to April 19, 2012, and denied a higher rating. The Board also granted a 30 percent disability rating for cervical spondylosis with IVDS from December 13, 2019, to December 23, 2024, but denied a higher rating.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a cervical condition to allow the RO to review newly submitted evidence.

The Board granted an effective date of October 4, 2016 for the award of service connection for left foot hallux valgus and granted service connection for a neck disability and a left shoulder disability as secondary to the now-service-connected neck disability. The issue of an earlier effective date for right foot hallux valgus was dismissed.