Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for a new VA medical opinion to address the Veteran's neck condition, considering in-service complaints of neck pain.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability, diagnosed as cervical spine degenerative joint disease, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to address the Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cervical spine condition, left ankle strain, and right foot pain to correct duty to assist errors that occurred prior to the January 2024 rating decision on appeal.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's neck condition, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and obstructive sleep apnea. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain and degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine, DDD of the lumbar spine and lumbosacral strain, and lateral collateral ligament sprain of the right ankle based on a finding that these conditions are due to an injury during service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, right knee disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and residuals of a head injury to verify periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA and obtain new VA medical opinions.

The veteran and his attorney have withdrawn the appeals for service connection for hypertension and a neck disability.

The Board remands the claims for increased disability ratings and TDIU due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for a left shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, and headaches to obtain additional medical evidence. The right knee and left knee claims are denied.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck, back, bilateral knee, and left humerus bone tumor disabilities to ensure all pertinent records are in the claim file and to afford the Veteran an assessment of his current disability status.

The Board remands the issue of service connection for a cervical spine condition to schedule an examination with an appropriate clinician.

The Board is remanding the claims for a cervical spine condition and right shoulder condition to secure an addendum medical opinion addressing the likely etiology of these conditions, as the previous examination did not adequately address relevant service medical records.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for increased ratings and restored previous ratings for various service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left hand, finding the evidence persuasively against a nexus to service. The Board remanded claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and right knee meniscal tear and chondromalacia due to inadequate VA medical opinions that failed to address aggravation theories and direct service connection.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for restoration of service connection and the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, as new and relevant evidence was received.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, vertigo, and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, as there was no evidence of onset in service or a relationship to service.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, but denied service connection for right and left ankle conditions and a cervical spine condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for acute left ankle sprain, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or a causal relationship between the current disability and any in-service event. The claims for cervical strain and left shoulder strain were remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder and a cervical spine disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.