Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a low back disorder, cervical neck disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to multiple service-connected disabilities due to incomplete medical opinions.

The Board granted service connection for myelopathy spinal stenosis cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine and depression as secondary to the same condition.

The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including various musculoskeletal conditions and mental health disorders.

The Board denied an effective date prior to March 6, 2023, for the award of service connection for right ankle degenerative arthritis and remanded claims for a recurrent cervical spine disability and a higher rating for the right ankle.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain residuals and remanded the claims for recurrent facial injury residuals to include laceration residuals, bilateral hearing loss, and a recurrent pancreas disability.

The Board granted service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, as secondary to a service-connected lower back disability.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and left foot disability as there was no evidence of a current disability or an in-service injury, event, or disease related to these conditions.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to incomplete evidence, including a need for additional VA examinations.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and a depressive disorder, but denied service connection for left lower extremity restless leg syndrome, right lower extremity restless leg syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, irritable bowel syndrome, and other conditions. The decision also remanded several claims for further development.

The Board denied service connection for cervical strain with IVDS and spinal fusion as the evidence did not support a finding that the disability began during active service or was otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, left shoulder, right shoulder, and tinea cruris disabilities. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were remanded for readjudication based on new evidence.

The Board denied increased disability evaluations for several conditions, dismissed claims for others, and remanded two issues for further development.

The Board granted an effective date of February 5, 2023, for the award of a 20 percent rating for thoracolumbar strain, intervertebral disc syndrome, but denied earlier effective dates for other claims.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, hypertension, migraines, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the appellant's military service. The claims for service connection for right foot disability, left foot disability, cervical strain, lumbar strain, left upper extremity (LUE) radiculopathy, right upper extremity (RUE) radiculopathy, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy, left knee disability, and right ankle disability were remanded for further development.

The appeal for service connection for multiple conditions was dismissed due to the untimely filing of the Board Appeal request.

The Board dismissed the motions for revision of clear and unmistakable error in various rating decisions, including those related to service connection and ratings for multiple conditions. The claims for service connection were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for various conditions, including neck disability manifested by pain and diabetes mellitus type II, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee degenerative arthritis. The other conditions were also granted as they are caused by the now-service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of cervicalgia with degenerative disc disease, to include as secondary to left and/or right lower extremity radiculopathy with foot drop, for an addendum medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, low back disability, and radiculopathy of both lower extremities as secondary to the low back disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and service connection for cervicalgia/trapezius strain.