Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and dismissed an appeal seeking a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his TBI residuals. The claims for service connection for left knee, right knee, acquired psychiatric, and neck disabilities were also denied.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, mental disorder, right thigh disability, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury due to untimely notice of disagreement. The claims for a heart disability and low back disability were remanded for further development.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for degenerative arthritis, a left shoulder disability, bilateral lower extremity nerve conditions, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a neck disability due to non-jurisdictional procedural defects in the Veteran's August 2024 VA Form 10182.

The Board granted readjudication of the claims for service connection based on new and relevant evidence, but remanded several issues for further development.

The Board remands the claims for increased ratings and entitlement to a TDIU due to missing private treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for fatigue, traumatic brain injury (TBI), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left wrist disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity as there was no evidence to support a current diagnosis or that these conditions were related to service.

The Board granted a higher initial disability rating of 20 percent for gastrectomy residuals and 10 percent for gastrectomy scars, but denied higher ratings for hypertension, tension headaches, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and service connection for an enlarged prostate, GERD, cervical spine pain, and right wrist pain.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and a 40 percent rating for lower back strain. The ratings for right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy were also adjusted, with TDIU granted.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions as there has not been substantial compliance with its previous directives.

The Board denied service connection for pancreatic nodule, lung nodules and asthma, right hip disorder, left hip disorder, lumbar spine disorder, and cervical spine disorder as there was no evidence of a current disability or that the disabilities were related to military service.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating and TDIU to obtain additional evidence regarding the Veteran's cervical spine condition, including whether radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremity is present.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for service connection for sinusitis, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, deviated nasal septum (traumatic), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and allergic rhinitis.

The Board granted an initial 10 percent rating for the Veteran's cervical strain (neck disability) based on painful motion, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The appeal was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to the promulgation of a decision, and therefore, it is dismissed.

The issues of service connection for degenerative arthritis, lumbar spine; right leg radiculopathy; and degenerative arthritis, cervical spine are dismissed as the Board granted service connection in a separate appeal stream.

The Board granted service connection for GERD and denied service connection for chronic sinusitis, while denying an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board granted a rating of 30 percent for the Veteran's cervical spine disability and a rating of 40 percent for his radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for a vision disability, to include hyperopia and presbyopia, and remanded several other claims including those for kidney, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, lower extremity neuropathy, hip, knee, heart, neck, upper extremity radiculopathy, and TDIU.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, and cervical spine disabilities as secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability due to inadequate VA opinions.

The Board denied an initial rating higher than 70 percent for a major depressive disorder with anxious distress and remanded the claim for service connection for a neck disability (also claimed as upper back pain).