Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2026

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA compensation criteria.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for an epidydimal cyst is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether his reported erectile problems are related to the service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability is remanded as there is no VA Gulf War examination provided, and it is unclear if cardiovascular signs represent undiagnosed illness or chronic multi-symptom illness.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sleep disorder is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination considering in-service stressors and neuropsychological/sleep symptoms as potential undiagnosed illnesses or chronic multi-symptom illnesses.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disability and nerve disability (left side of neck down to left hand fingers) are remanded due to the need for a VA Gulf War examination considering Southwest Asia exposure risks.,reasoning_summary

The Board dismissed all appeals as the Veteran's claims for service connection were already granted in a previous decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The AOJ is required to obtain any relevant private medical records from the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claims are not granted as there is no current hearing loss disability for VA purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability, left shoulder disability, and headaches as these conditions are etiologically related to the Veteran's in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical strain, rotator cuff tendinitis of the left and right shoulders, left hip condition (including a total hip replacement), right hip condition, patellofemoral pain syndrome with osteoarthritis of the left knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome of the right knee, left ankle condition, and right ankle condition. The Board found that these conditions are not related to service.,The Veteran's assertions regarding the onset of his disabilities were not supported by medical evidence or continuity of symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to determine if the former service member's depression and cervical strain with multilevel cervical disc disease, as well as his multilevel thoracic disc disease, were incurred or aggravated during any period of active duty. The presumptions of soundness and aggravation do not apply due to lack of veteran status.

The Veteran's effective date for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance is set to March 11, 2021. He was granted a higher level of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(p) at level (n).

The Veteran's claims for left knee strain, right knee injury, cervical strain with degenerative disc disease, lumbosacral strain to include degenerative disc disease and IVDS, right lower extremity radiculopathy, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and tension headaches have been granted effective October 9, 2023.,The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date were denied as the appropriate effective date is October 9, 2023.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection awards of cervical strain with spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease, right upper extremity radiculopathy, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. The effective dates were set at September 27, 2010.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, and neck disability, finding that these conditions are related to his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding her lumbar spine, cervical spine, and bilateral shoulder conditions.,The Veteran has been granted a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis. The appeal remains pending for the other issues.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions and the need for additional evidence. The Veteran's neck disability is being reviewed, with a focus on whether it is related to service or his service-connected low back disability.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for back and neck disabilities due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral eye dryness, irritation, and light sensitivity; cervical spine bulging discs, cervicalgia, hypertrophic facet disease, narrowing of neural foramina, spinal stenosis, and spondylosis; spinal stenosis and spondylosis of the lumbar spine; radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities; and radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities are all granted. However, his claim for service connection for a heart condition is denied.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is warranted due to incomplete medical examination.,The VA examiner concluded that the cervical spine disability was less likely than not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is a congenital defect and if so, whether there was aggravation during service.,The VA examiner noted that the Veteran's pes planus is a congenital condition and concluded that it is an incidental finding with no symptoms related to his service. The Board finds this opinion inadequate as it did not address whether the pes planus is a congenital defect or disease, nor if there was aggravation during service.,The Veteran seeks service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, obesity, and CKD. No specific issues are listed regarding these conditions in the decision summary.,The Veteran's hypertension is not addressed in the decision summary.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical myelopathy. The Veteran claims his service, particularly deployments in Afghanistan, contributed to his condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for neck pain, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

Service connection for PTSD, neck disability, low back disability, and right hip disability is granted.,PTSD rating increased to 70% effective April 17, 2024.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain or maintain a gainful occupation for the period from August 27, 2009, to February 27, 2020.