Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of bilateral ankle, lower leg, neck, and thoracic spine disabilities. The Board will review new evidence to determine if these conditions are related to active service.

The veteran's service connection claims for left hip disability, right hip disability, and cervical spine disability were granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was denied. Effective dates for asthma, right shoulder strain, and left shoulder strain were granted starting from October 9, 2020. Claims for earlier effective dates for tinea versicolor and pseudofolliculitis barbae, and higher ratings for cervical spine strain and lumbosacral spine strain with arthritis were denied. Claims for right ankle sprain, left ankle sprain, and individual unemployability were remanded.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of cervical and lumbar spine disabilities. The Board found that further VA examinations are needed to determine the relationship between these conditions and active service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was granted. The claim for a cervical spine disability, including as secondary to a service-connected disability, was remanded for further evaluation.

The Board vacated its previous decisions and remanded the issues for further consideration. The Veteran's request for a hearing was not granted.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of a lumbar disorder and cervical disorder. The Board found that the AOJ did not properly assist the veteran in obtaining necessary medical records and examinations.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding that the evidence pervasively weighs against a relationship to active service.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability and an increased rating for a back disability. The veteran will undergo new medical examinations.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's cervical strain, left knee disability, and right knee disability. The evidence did not show that these conditions began during active service or are related to an in-service injury or disease.

The veteran's service connection claims for neck and back disabilities, including cervical strain and degenerative disc disease, were granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for severe cervical dysplasia status post hysterectomy prior to May 1, 2024. The decision was based on the lack of continuous treatment required for a compensable rating.

The veteran was granted a 70% rating for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and major depressive disorders. All other issues were remanded for further review.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for PTSD was dismissed. The claims for service connection for various conditions were remanded for further evaluation.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right shoulder, and left knee disabilities. The Board did not consider additional evidence submitted with the appeal because it was not related to the issues on appeal.

The Board remanded the veteran's claims for service connection of lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, and head injury disabilities due to VA's failure to notify the veteran of scheduled examinations.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented her from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to June 8, 2019, so a TDIU is granted.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for right total hip joint replacement from June 12, 2024, and separate ratings for right knee instability (10 percent) and left knee instability (20 percent). All other claims were denied.

The veteran's request for a rating higher than 70% for PTSD with opioid use disorder and TBI residuals was denied. However, the veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disorder is remanded because the VA did not follow proper procedures. The case will be reviewed again.