Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The veteran's effective dates for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity were granted. The issues regarding initial ratings and an earlier effective date for DEA benefits were remanded.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of back, neck, left knee, right knee, and right ulnar nerve disabilities due to errors in pre-decisional duty to assist.

Service connection for sinusitis, cervical spine arthritis, and upper extremity radiculopathy was denied. Service connection for OSA, headaches, vertigo, and lumbar spine arthritis was remanded.

The veteran was granted service connection for erectile dysfunction but denied for left elbow disability. The rating for neck disability and PTSD were not increased, and several other conditions were remanded for further review.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus was denied. The veteran was granted a 30% rating for tension headaches and a 10% rating for irritable bowel syndrome with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Other claims were remanded.

Service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied. Other conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus was denied. All other claims were remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for nerve damage, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and cervical strain as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or a link to in-service events.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as remanded a claim for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings for his service-connected PTSD, headaches, lumbosacral strain, right hip disability, left hip disability, and cervical strain.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, left shoulder, and obstructive sleep apnea disabilities due to inadequate medical nexus opinions.

The Board granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury, left knee disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and cervical spine disability. The Board also granted an initial 50 percent evaluation from February 1, 2019 to October 31, 2021 for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but denied a higher rating.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for thoracic and lumbar spine disabilities, but remanded the claims for cervical spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for an increased rating of his cervical spine condition and associated radiculopathies due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical disc degeneration and spondylolisthesis as there was no evidence of an in-service injury, disease, or event, nor any continuity of symptomatology since service. The VA examiner opined that the conditions were less likely than not related to the veteran's military service.

The Board granted service connection for allergic rhinitis and denied the claims for sinusitis, an increased rating for hypertension, SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ, and other issues. The remaining issues are remanded.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 20 percent for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine and degenerative disc disease at C5-C6, resolving reasonable doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder as new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to an untimely appeal.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right hip strain, cervical strain, and right shoulder strain to obtain additional VA opinions.