The Veteran's cervical strain with degenerative disc disease is rated at 30 percent, and he is granted service connection for vertigo and cervicogenic headaches secondary to this condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found the Veteran has functional equivalent of ankylosis in his neck, which meets the criteria for a 30 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Cervical strain with degenerative disc disease, Vertigo, Cervicogenic headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- February 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26015569
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26015569.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for vertigo and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's hearing loss is not rated higher than 10 percent.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a separate rating of 30 percent for vertigo is granted, while the claim for an increased rating for tinnitus remains denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of in-service stressors and toxic exposure assessments. The Board also requests a VA examination to address the etiology of his diagnosed mental health conditions and vertigo.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection of chronic fatigue syndrome and vertigo are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The PFB claim is denied as the disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.
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