Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for left hip, right hip, and cervical strain (claimed as neck disability) to obtain additional medical opinions regarding aggravation by service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disorder and a cervical spine disorder, but denied an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted a 70 percent initial evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder and TDIU, but remanded claims for service connection for diabetes, lumbar condition, cervical condition, lung condition, and left and right lower extremity neuropathy.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, which include rheumatoid arthritis affecting multiple joints and other conditions.

The veteran withdrew the appeal for all service connection and increased rating claims, including those related to various conditions such as right foot condition, TMJ, asthma, jawbone condition, sleep apnea, kidney stones, chronic bronchitis, Alpha gal, encephalopathy, left shoulder, left ankle, cervical spine, right hip, tachycardia, loose teeth, and jawbone condition.

The Board denied the claims for earlier effective dates and a compensable rating, as there was no evidence of an informal or formal claim prior to September 27, 2022.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that the current disability was due to an in-service motorcycle accident.

The Board denied an effective date prior to June 2, 2023, for the award of a separate rating for right upper extremity (RUE) radiculopathy.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for increased evaluations of the Veteran's tension headaches, cervical strain, thoracolumbar strain, and radiculopathies based on factually ascertainable worsening within one year prior to the claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection, finding no persuasive evidence that the criteria for increased evaluations were met prior to the respective claim or examination dates.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease with traumatic arthritis is granted a 30 percent rating, but no higher.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether it was incurred during a period of active duty for training.

The Board remands the claims for higher ratings for back, neck, and left knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board grants service connection for a cervical spine disability, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, based on evidence that the Veteran's symptoms had their onset in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's current condition and his active duty service.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for the low back condition from September 12, 2012 to May 31, 2017 and denied higher ratings for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Board also granted earlier effective dates of September 12, 2012 for the award of service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathies and special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various conditions, including hip and cervical spine disabilities, as well as upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board remands the case to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the nature and severity of the Veteran's cervical spine disability, including its effect on range of motion and functional impairment.

The Board denied increased ratings for cervical strain, thoracic strain, and allergic rhinitis with sinusitis, as well as a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted service connection for radicular pain of both upper extremities as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected cervical strain.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis and IVDS, radiculopathy of the left and right upper extremities, but denied service connection for left knee strain with shin splints, thoracolumbar strain with IVDS, left shoulder disability to include shoulder strain with impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis, right shoulder disability to include shoulder strain with impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendonitis with calcific tendinitis, and tinnitus.