Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2000

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's cervical spine disorder, which is currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling. The current rating adequately reflects the severity of the disability.

The Board has determined that there is no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's compression fracture and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, or his cervical disc disease, to service. Therefore, these claims for service connection are denied.

The Board granted service connection for chronic stomach condition, including gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophagitis. The veteran's cervical disc disease was found to warrant a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation, effective from June 2, 1993.

The Board found that the appellant's diagnoses of degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spine are not related to inservice neck and back injuries, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cervical and thoracic spine disabilities are not service-connected, but acknowledges that there were in-service complaints related to these conditions. The decision is mixed as some issues have been granted while others have not.

The veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but he contends it should be higher. The case has been remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his T7-8 fracture with malunion, cervical and dorsal spine with degenerative changes. The issue of reopening his service connection claim for a low back disorder was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various disabilities, finding no competent medical evidence linking current conditions to military service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder and a cervical spine disorder, finding new and material evidence. The claim for increased rating of left shoulder disability is granted.,The veteran's left shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for adhesive capsulitis of the right shoulder, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, duodenal ulcer disease, cervical spine disability, and a disorder of the right hand characterized as numbness, ulnar nerve. The rating assigned is 20% for lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted service connection for thoracolumbar and cervical degenerative disc disease, with a rating of 20 percent. The veteran is now eligible to receive attorney fees based on past-due benefits resulting from this decision.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a cervical spine disorder and/or right shoulder disorder, which he claimed were secondary to his service-connected right cubital tunnel syndrome. The claim for an increased evaluation for his right cubital tunnel syndrome is not addressed in this decision.

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another or by reason of being housebound was denied due to his nonservice-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria for such benefits.

The Board found that the claim was not well-grounded and denied service connection for a cervical spine disability.

The veteran's service-connected dorsal-lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to September 8, 1999 and increased to 40 percent since then. The cervical spine disability was initially rated at 10 percent and later increased to 20 percent.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 30 percent for the service-connected post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the cervical spine with wedging of C5, effective from March 1998. The veteran's headaches are rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 8045.

The Board has determined that the claim of entitlement to service connection for the residuals of a C1-C2 posterior fusion resulting from an odontoid fracture is not well grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, anxiety disorder, and cervical spine disorders were not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a direct link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection due to undiagnosed illnesses were not well grounded and denied them.