Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cervical strain, tension headaches, and snapping hip syndrome to correct a duty to assist error in failing to obtain an adequate medical opinion.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection and increased ratings due to untimely filings or lack of jurisdiction.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for a cervical scar and an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for a cervical spine disability.

The Board granted service connection for a neck disability, low back disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy, and a neck scar.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome and a cervical spine disability, due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding no evidence that his current condition was related to his military service.

The appeal for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis was dismissed, while ratings were restored for several conditions and a TDIU was granted.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disability, finding that it is attributable to his active military service.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for the Veteran's neck disability and a 40 percent disability rating for both the back and right shoulder disabilities effective October 17, 2020. The Veteran was also granted a 10 percent disability rating for irritable bowel syndrome effective February 27, 2020.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for headaches, neck disability, back disability, left knee disability, left shoulder disability, and radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities to correct a duty to assist error.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernia, multilevel cervical spondylosis, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for disability manifested by cervicalgia, resolving all doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that his cervicalgia had its onset during active duty.

The Board granted service connection for a left hip disability, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, and thoracolumbar degenerative disc disease with arthritis. The right hip disability was denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues related to the right ankle, lumbar spine, cervical spine, and pes planus were remanded.

The Board denied a 10 percent rating for multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities and remanded the claims of service connection for cervical spine, bilateral knees, acquired psychiatric condition, and sleep disorder.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and a compensable rating for the Veteran's lumbar DDD, cervical DDD, and neck scar, as well as higher ratings for these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating or service connection for any of the conditions appealed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted, while the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ratings for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), migraines, a neck condition, and cervical radiculopathy of the right upper extremity were denied.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the service connection of PTSD, right and left shoulder disabilities, and neck disability, as well as higher ratings for these conditions and a TDIU.

The Board granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disabilities, to include PTSD and anxiety disorder, cervical spine pain, onychomycosis, and skin conditions. The claim was denied for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and bilateral hearing loss.