Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for thoracic spine pain and cervical strain, but denied service connection for right 3rd digit residuals, hand tremors, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional abdominal pain syndrome/abdominal pain bleeding, allergy-induced asthma, a right ankle disorder, claimed as degenerative joint disease (DJD), headaches, and respiratory insufficiency (dyspnea).

The Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder is granted service connection. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the regular need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected traumatic brain injury, major depressive disorder, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine with IVDS, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine.

The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for cervical strain and lumbosacral strain is dismissed due to multiple pending appeals under both the legacy review system and the modernized review system.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including residuals of a head injury, bilateral hearing loss, neck disability, gout of the right ankle, unspecified trauma or stress related disorder, tinnitus, and other musculoskeletal issues.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted, while a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. Several service connection claims are remanded.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left and right foot/toe, neck, left hip/groin, right knee, and left knee conditions, to obtain additional medical evidence.

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, sinusitis, and sleep apnea but granted service connection for bilateral ankle strain and bilateral knee strain. The claims for increased ratings were also denied.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine condition and dismissed the claim for PTSD, while denying claims for radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, TBI rating increase, status post right knee meniscectomy rating increase, and scar rating.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for cervical strain due to a deficiency in the record, specifically VA's failure to provide an adequate examination.

The Board granted service connection for cervical strain with upper extremity nerve issues and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but denied service connection for hypertension.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected chronic cervical strain due to a lack of adequate VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, cervical spine (neck) disability, lumbar spine (back) disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and erectile dysfunction. The appeal was dismissed for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder due to the grant of an unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including neck, low back, hand, shoulder, knee, wrist, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, hemorrhoids, psychiatric disorder, toenail fungus, hearing loss, and migraines, as there was no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current disabilities and his military service.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease, healed fracture of the left 2nd toe, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis with degenerative disc disease.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including right and left shoulder pain, nephrolithiasis, bilateral hearing loss, obstructive sleep apnea, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and upper extremity radiculopathy. The claims were not granted.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder as it was not shown to be causally or etiologically related to the appellant's period of ACDUTRA.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for Raynaud's disease and a cervical spine condition to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board granted an effective date of July 17, 2017, for the award of a 70 percent rating for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and a neck disability, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to June 16, 2022.