Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including cervicalgia, left and right hip disabilities, right ankle disability, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, and a skin disability. The claim was also granted for a 20 percent rating for left ankle sprain with chronic achilles tendonitis and degenerative arthritis.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a cervical spine pain condition to correct a duty to assist error related to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and right knee disorder as further development is needed to address the adequacy of the medical opinions regarding direct and secondary service connection.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a low back disability, cervical spine disability, shoulder and knee disabilities, ankle and elbow disabilities, wrist disabilities, and a skin disorder, to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings, finding no evidence of entitlement to an earlier date or higher ratings based on the facts found.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for a cervical spine disability and a lumbar spine disability as it was considered a duplicate appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cervical spine condition and erectile dysfunction due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability and remanded claims for mental health, low back, and right lower extremity nerve disabilities due to inadequate evidence.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck disorder and back disorder as secondary to a left knee condition due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board remands the claims for service connection of various finger and hand disabilities, wrist disabilities, and a cervical spine strain due to insufficient evidence.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and radiculopathy disabilities due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the claim for a cervical spine condition to obtain an addendum opinion that adequately addresses the Veteran's lay statements and service treatment records.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as there is sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain and myofascitis, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine (claimed as bulging disc C3-C4 and C5-C6), an increased rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, and allergic rhinitis. The Board also denied earlier effective dates for these conditions.

The Board granted the reinstatement of a 30 percent rating for chronic urticaria, denied ratings in excess of 30 percent for chronic urticaria and other conditions, and granted TDIU and SMC.

The Board denied service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease and dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, as there was no justiciable case or controversy.

The Board denied service connection for a left foot, left ankle, right foot, right knee, and neck disabilities, sinusitis, and type II diabetes mellitus as there was no medical evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability and an initial 50 percent rating, but not higher, prior to September 7, 2021, for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. The remaining claims were denied or remanded.

The Board granted service connection for a back disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy, while remanding claims for other conditions including the neck, knees, leg pain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and pes planus.

The Board granted restoration of a 20 percent rating for cervical spine strain and lumbosacral strain, effective February 7, 2022, as the reduction in ratings was not proper. The Board also remanded entitlement to higher ratings for both conditions.