Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a neck disability, left foot bunion, right foot bunion, right hip disability, and right shoulder disability as further development is needed.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted a 30 percent rating, while the lumbar and lower extremity radiculopathy claims are denied. An earlier effective date for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted, and TDIU based on single service-connected disability is remanded.

The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability with radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, a cervical spine disability with radiculopathy of the left upper extremity, and migraine headaches, all to include as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected conditions. The claims for a left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and right hip disability were denied.

The appeal was dismissed for res judicata, and a rating in excess of 30 percent for the cervical spine disability was denied. The Board remanded an issue regarding a separate compensable rating for vertigo.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine strain, finding the evidence to be in equipoise on whether the condition began during active service or is related to service.

The Board granted service connection for right and left ankle disabilities, a skin rash, and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, shortness of breath, PTSD, OSA, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, knee disabilities, CPS, and earlier effective dates.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including knee and foot conditions, a low back disability, radiculopathy, tinnitus, and a neck condition, to correct pre-decisional errors in fulfilling VA's duty to assist by rescheduling missed examinations.

The Board granted service connection for a separate 50 percent initial rating for insomnia as secondary to tinnitus, and denied an increased rating for tinnitus. The Board also granted service connection for headache disability, low back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, cervical spine disability, and right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and neck condition, but remanded the claim for a bilateral ankle condition.

The Board denied an increased rating for cervical spine degenerative disc disease with strain and restored the 30 percent evaluation for recurrent sinusitis, maxillary and ethmoid.

The Board denied service connection for chest pain, a gastrointestinal disability, a neck disability, and a bilateral knee disability. The Veteran was also denied a compensable rating for iliotibial band syndrome of the right hip and for right hip limitation of extension.

The Board restored a 30 percent rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy, granted an increased evaluation of 70 percent for right upper extremity radiculopathy and granted an increased evaluation of 30 percent for cervical strain with intervertebral disc syndrome and degenerative changes status post fusion C5-C7.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of service connection and denied increased ratings for various disabilities, but granted a separate rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy from October 20, 2020.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, and tinnitus based on new evidence received after the initial denial.

The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration, cervical degenerative arthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint degeneration, right hip strain, anxiety as secondary to the Veteran's back condition, and depression as secondary to the Veteran's back condition. The claims for service connection for a left knee condition and a right knee condition were denied.

The Board denied service connection for all the claimed conditions as there was no evidence to support a finding that any of these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a left hip disorder, an increased rating for a left knee disability, and an increased rating for a cervical spine disability. The claim for service connection for hypertension was remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a procedural error in failing to provide the Veteran with notice of her right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's current neck condition was incurred during her active duty service.

The Board denied separate compensable ratings for left and right lower extremity disabilities as well as left and right upper extremity disabilities from September 11, 2008, to March 7, 2018.