Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board denied various claims for increased ratings and effective dates, except for granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and increased rating due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board granted initial ratings for cervical spine DJD, right and left upper extremity radiculopathy, lumbar DJD, and right lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied higher ratings for right hip limitation of flexion and extension.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder is granted an initial rating of 50 percent, and some claims for service connection are denied while others are remanded.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for a neck disability, lumbar strain, and neuropathy of the bilateral legs.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates, granted service connection for musculoskeletal neck/upper back (cervical spine) condition/myofascial pain syndrome and right shoulder disability, and remanded several other claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disorders to correct duty to assist errors and obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD, cold weather injury residuals affecting the hands, and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine. The claims for radiculopathy of the upper extremities and headaches were remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a back condition and cervical spine condition as additional medical opinions are needed.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for tension headaches from September 10, 2021, to August 27, 2022, and denied increased ratings for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for a migraine headache disorder and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, and assigned a 10 percent rating for his lumbar area surgical scar. The remaining claims were remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, right shoulder, lumbar spine, bilateral hip, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a higher initial rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis, and an earlier effective date for a 50 percent disability rating for schizophrenia. However, the Board granted a 70 percent disability rating from December 14, 2021, for schizophrenia and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board granted service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and dismissed or denied the other claims.

The Board remands the matters for a new examination to determine the severity of the Veteran's cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy disabilities, discounting the beneficial effects of the Veteran's medications.

The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including right and left shoulder strains with degenerative arthritis, right and left hip degenerative arthritis, left ankle degenerative arthritis with chronic instability and anterior talofibular ligament strain, cervical spine degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and obstructive sleep apnea, all of which are secondary to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted an effective date of April 15, 2024 for the grant of service connection and increased ratings for radiculopathies of the upper and lower extremities, but denied earlier effective dates for cervical strain and thoracolumbar sprain.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a cervical spine disability as there was no evidence that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee strains, granted an initial rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches, and remanded the claim for cervical strain with degenerative arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are consistent with those experienced during his active duty service.