Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability, including arthritis of the neck, is related to his active duty service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) with degenerative arthritis in both the cervical and lumbar spine, finding that these conditions were incurred during or caused by the Veteran's period of active service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, hearing loss disorder, cervical disorder, and thyroid cancer due to inadequate medical opinions and duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing private medical records that may contain information relevant to the Veteran's neck disability claim. The AOJ is instructed to request these records and consider them in their decision.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability secondary to service-connected migraines, but denied service connection for TBI with neurocognitive impairment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine condition and respiratory condition due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining medical opinions. The cervical spine claim is being remanded for a new secondary service connection opinion, while the respiratory condition claim requires an examination and direct service connection opinion considering the Veteran's exposure to burn pits during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine condition as new and relevant evidence had not been received to warrant readjudication of the claim.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for her cervical strain with degenerative disc disease was denied.,Her claims for earlier effective dates for the 20 percent evaluation for lumbosacral strain, intervertebral disc syndrome and degenerative arthritis, and the 70 percent evaluation for PTSD, alcohol use disorder, and traumatic brain injury were also denied.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than September 27, 2006 for various disabilities have been denied.,Effective dates prior to September 27, 2006 were not granted for the service connection grants and disability ratings of several conditions.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for cervical spine myofascial pain syndrome and lumbar spine spondylosis and degenerative joint disease (DJD) at L5-S1 are being remanded due to a pre-decisional error in notifying him of his right to a hearing.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claimed disabilities, as well as errors in the pre-decisional duty to assist.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as they prevent prolonged standing and walking.

The Veteran's right elbow disability, cervical spine disability, left nasal septum deviation with nasal congestion, and headaches have been granted service connection. The Veteran has also received a maximum schedular rating of 30 percent for his IBS.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability from April 24, 2019 is dismissed as the November 2025 rating decision merely implemented the July 2025 Board decision.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but no higher. The Board found that the evidence was in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's forward flexion of his cervical spine was greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that there is no current diagnosis related to the condition and that it did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history. A total disability rating for compensation due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error, requiring an addendum opinion from a clinician regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical strain and lumbar spine conditions.

The Board has determined that the VA decision denying enrollment in the PCAFC program was not based on a proper application of the law and regulations, specifically regarding the definition of 'supervision, protection, or instruction' under 38 C.F.R. § 71.15. The Board therefore remands the case for further action.

The Veteran's cervical spine arthritis and bilateral hearing loss are granted. A rating of 40 percent or higher for lumbar contusion with myositis and lumbar spondylosis, TDIU on April 30, 2014, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) on April 30, 2014, and ratings in excess of 10 percent for radiculopathy are granted. The appeal is remanded for further rating determinations.