Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to multiple service-connected disabilities, including radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities and low back condition. The Veteran is also granted a TDIU due to his inability to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical radiculopathy, left upper extremity; chronic left lower extremity sciatica injury with pain; chronic right lower extremity sciatica injury with pain; and eczema, bilateral legs. The issues are being returned due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cervical disc pain with degenerative disease and arthritis (neck disorder), right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, right hand and thumb joint pain and arthritis, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran is required to be provided notice of their right to a pre-decisional hearing.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new medical opinion regarding the Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits due to insufficient reasoning in the previous decision. The claim will be reconsidered based on all available evidence, including lay statements and medical opinions.

All claims for service connection related to lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, athlete's foot/tinea pedis, right shin splints, left shin splints, erectile dysfunction, alopecia areata (hair loss), and acne have been dismissed due to lack of timely appeal. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for these conditions.

All claims for service connection related to lumbosacral strain, left knee condition, right knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right hand condition, left hand condition, athlete's foot/tinea pedis, right shin splints, left shin splints, erectile dysfunction, alopecia areata (hair loss), and acne have been dismissed due to lack of timely appeal. The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis for these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical and lumbar spine conditions, finding no evidence of a nexus to service. The issues regarding secondary service connection have been remanded.

The Board has determined that the VA did not provide a necessary examination for service connection of low back condition, cervical spine condition, LLE numbness, and RLE numbness. The claims are being remanded to obtain these examinations.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to an in-service event, and the Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and lumbar spine disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability should be remanded to obtain his complete military records from both his Army and National Guard periods of service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy, secondary to a nonservice connected cervical spine disorder and service-connected lumbosacral spine strain with degenerative joint disease, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for increased rating for left shoulder chronic strain is remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased rating claims related to multiple conditions, including herniated nucleus pulposus of the cervical spine, fibromyositis, and various nerve-related issues. The Board dismissed these claims as a result.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right hip disability, lumbosacral strain with arthritis, and cervical strain with degenerative joint disease is REMANDED.,PTSD has been granted a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's PTSD-TBI with traumatic brain injury is granted a 70 percent disability rating effective November 15, 2018. Service connection for cervical strain, lumbosacral strain, right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, and sleep apnea are also granted.

The appeals for left ankle, right ankle, diabetes mellitus type II, lumbosacral strain, osteoarthritis post-traumatic as secondary to gout, and right ear hearing loss disabilities have been dismissed.,New and relevant evidence has been presented or secured regarding the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, cervical spine disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and bilateral foot disability. These appeals are granted in part.

The appeal of the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and temporomandibular joint disorder is dismissed.,The appeal of the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with schizophrenia is denied.,The appeal of the issues of service connection for headaches, cervical spine condition, left upper extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, left hip strain, and right hip strain is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine as secondary to his service-connected spinal fusion is dismissed due to a withdrawal request.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability and left upper extremity radiculopathy, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's lumbosacral and cervical strain disabilities are remanded for further evaluation due to inadequate VA examinations in February 2018 and April 2019.