Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, cervical spine disability, and migraine headaches due to an inadequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain, left shoulder strain, left wrist sprain, right shoulder strain, and right wrist sprain as they are etiologically related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions as the evidence of record does not support a finding that any of these disabilities are related to the Veteran's active military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a cervical neck disability, fatigue as due to an undiagnosed illness, constant cough, mucus in the nose, itchy and irritated nose and throat (claimed as rhinitis) as due to an undiagnosed illness, constant cough, mucus in the nose, itchy and irritated nose and throat (claimed as sinusitis) as due to an undiagnosed illness, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include anxiety and depression.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral shin splints, cervical strain (claimed as neck strain), lumbosacral strain (claimed as lower back strain), left shoulder strain (claimed as painful joints), and right shoulder strain (claimed as painful joints) to obtain an adequate medical opinion.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding no evidence of chronicity in service or sufficient observation to establish chronicity at the time, and no causal relationship between the current disability and an in-service injury or disease.

The Board granted service connection for right hip strain and remanded the claim for cervical strain due to missing records.

The Board remands the claim for a cervical spine disorder to obtain an addendum opinion regarding its nature and etiology, including all theories of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches, degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome (lumbar spine), and cervical spine hyperextension trauma. However, it granted a 20 percent rating for left lower extremity radiculopathy.

The appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran, and no issues remain for appellate consideration.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative arthritis and DDD, as well as radiculopathy of both upper extremities and diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both upper extremities. However, the claim for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) was denied.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral foot, cervical spine, and bilateral hip disabilities but denied service connection for an eye disability, OSA, a sinus disability, and a nail condition. The Board also denied an increased rating for hearing loss and dismissed the TDIU claim.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, and lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis. The claim for hypertension was denied.

The Board granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and granted an initial separate and compensable disability rating of 10 percent, and no higher, for vertigo secondary to tinnitus. Other claims were denied.

The Board granted separate 10 percent ratings for right and left carpal tunnel syndrome, a 20 percent rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy, a 20 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy, and a 30 percent rating for cervical spine strain, all effective January 13, 2020.

The Board granted service connection for a neck condition, finding that the evidence was in approximate balance as to whether the symptoms of the Veteran's neck condition were present during service and have been continuous since separation from service.

The Board granted service connection for a lower back disability and a neck disability, but denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck disability and low back disability as the VA examiner's opinions are found to be inadequate.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, to include degenerative disc disease, as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current condition was related to his military service.

The Board remands the matter for an additional medical opinion to address the Veteran's claim that his cervical spine disorder is related to in-service injuries and activities.