Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left shoulder disorders, right shoulder disorder, cervical spine disorder, left ankle disorder, allergic rhinitis, and bilateral knee disorders, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work history. The Board granted the TDIU claim based on these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations related to his cervical strain, right elbow injury (claimed as cubital tunnel syndrome), right shoulder condition, and non-painful surgical scar on the grounds that he had already submitted a duplicate appeal request.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted as service connected. The claims for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, secondary to a lumbosacral strain, prior to June 5, 2025, are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of these conditions during active duty. The VA is required to provide an adequate opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's back and neck disabilities.

The Veteran's neck disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating as his range of motion does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Disease and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board has granted service connection for various musculoskeletal conditions, including lumbar spine disorder, neck disorder, left hip and right hip disorders, left shoulder and right shoulder disorders, and left knee and right knee disorders. These conditions are considered to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of the aid and attendance of another person, leading to a grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.

The Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral foot disabilities. His hypertension is granted based on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of elbow, hand and finger, or knee ankylosis. The claims for ankle sprain, hip sprain, lumbosacral sprain (lower back sprain), cervical strain (neck strain), shoulder strain, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded to obtain adequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU based on a single service-connected disability for purposes of SMC at the housebound rate, finding that none of her disabilities alone meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of his reported in-service duties.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for asthma, lumbosacral strain, and cervical strain have been denied as the evidence does not show that his conditions meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has denied service connection for sleep apnea and cervical strain. The Veteran's claim of sleep apnea was denied as there is no current diagnosis, while the cervical spine disability claim was remanded due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from April 26, 2018 to April 18, 2021. Service connection for toe fungus and left shoulder condition are granted. Service connection for neck condition is also granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for anxiety disorder was granted and assigned a 30 percent rating effective December 18, 2019. The appeal is now remanded to determine if the Veteran warrants an increased rating.,Both issues of entitlement to higher ratings for degenerative arthritis, cervical spine and service connection for headaches secondary to this condition are also being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals because they were not filed within one year of the rating decisions, and no good cause was shown for the delay.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to inadequate VA examinations and potential exposure to toxic substances during military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various radiculopathy conditions and a neck scar have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings based on the current symptoms.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the awards of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and cervical strain, as well as the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), because the Veteran did not file claims within one year of submitting initial intent to file claims.