Nexus letter
Cervical spine condition (neck)
Neck conditions from load-bearing, vehicle incidents, or repetitive strain in service.
$895 for this condition · $149 to start
What this claim turns on
Cervical spine claims frequently accompany a documented lower back or shoulder condition, and the connection is often mechanical: years under body armour and a loaded pack change how the cervical spine bears weight. Where a veteran already has a service-connected spine or shoulder condition, an altered gait or compensatory posture can drive cervical degeneration, which makes this a strong secondary claim as well as a direct one.
Commonly claimed as secondary to
If one of these is already service connected, this condition may be claimable as secondary to it. Your intake asks which pathway applies.
Conditions often secondary to this one
If neck is already service connected for you, these conditions are frequently claimed as flowing from it. Each needs its own opinion.
Records to have ready
Your physician needs these to form an opinion. Gathering them before you start is the single biggest thing you can do to move your case quickly.
- DD-214 or other separation document
- Service treatment records covering your time in service
- Current VA or private treatment records showing a diagnosis
- Any VA rating decision or denial letter you have received
- Cervical spine imaging
- Orthopaedic or neurosurgical consultation notes
Missing something? Start anyway and tell us in the intake. Sometimes a gap changes the approach rather than stopping the claim. How to request your records.