Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, related to surgical treatment at the Tampa VA Medical Center, due to incomplete medical records and non-compliance with previous remand instructions.

The Board denied increased ratings for tension headaches with migraine variants and lumbosacral strain with retrolisthesis, compression fracture L1 and degenerative disc disease, but granted a 20 percent rating for left ankle tendonitis status post fracture. The Board also granted service connection for a left knee disorder as secondary to the service-connected conditions and for gastroesophageal reflux disease and cervical spine disorder.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a neck disability, and a right calf disability to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for an upper respiratory disability and denied increased ratings for PTSD, CFS, and other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and denied increased ratings for multiple conditions, including left ear hearing loss, cervical spine arthritis with degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine strain with degenerative arthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, and left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve. The Board also remanded service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and right ear hearing loss.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability and a back disability, but denied service connection for BPPV. The right lumbar radiculopathy was also granted as secondary to the back disability.

The Board granted an effective date of July 13, 2020, for a 70 percent evaluation for PTSD but denied service connection for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, right knee condition, and tinnitus.

The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate, with anxious distress and remanded the claim for cervical spine condition.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, finding it less likely than not that the Veteran's neck disability was related to his active service or caused by his service-connected back disability.

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine condition and denied increased ratings for the right shoulder degenerative joint disease and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board granted an effective date of May 28, 2021 for the award of service connection for multiple conditions including cervical spine stenosis, right and left knee strains, and right and left hip osteoarthritis.

The Board granted secondary service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and denied increased ratings for a cervical spine disability, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and posttraumatic stress disorder with depression/mood disorder.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain and intervertebral disc syndrome (lumbar condition), and left knee injury as there was no evidence to support a current disability related to an in-service injury or event.

The case is being remanded to the AOJ for further development, specifically to readjudicate the issue of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain prior to September 12, 2024, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches and denied service connection for left shoulder synovitis, cervical spine strain, anterior right upper chest scar, right shoulder acromioclavicular joint separation, and right shoulder limitation of motion.

The Board granted service connection for calcific tendonitis of the left elbow, finding it had its onset during active service. The other claims were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic headaches, chronic sinusitis, left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, cervical condition, and TBI, to include any residuals thereof, as additional medical evidence is needed.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, neuropathy of the left upper extremity, and neuropathy of the right upper extremity due to a need for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for right and left wrist conditions, a higher rating for cervical spine disability, and found no current disabilities to support these claims. The claims for Raynaud's disease, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), ganglion cyst on the left hand, and sleep disorder were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left and right ankle disabilities, an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a traumatic brain injury, and various other disabilities.