Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2002

The Board has determined that the veteran's right knee disorder and degenerative changes of the cervical spine are related to service, with no other basis for connection provided.

The Board denied the veteran's appeals for effective dates prior to November 4, 1999 for increased evaluations of his service-connected migraine and muscle tension headaches, as well as a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current headache disability is a residual of an inservice injury and grants service connection for headaches. The depression claim is denied as there is no evidence to support a diagnosis or etiology related to service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disorders, finding that the current conditions are not related to any disease or injury incurred during active military service.

The veteran was granted a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities effective from August 3, 2002. The appeal is about establishing the appropriate effective date for this award.

The veteran's arthritis of the cervical spine is presumed to have been incurred in service, while his degenerative changes of the lumbar spine are not shown to be related to service.

The veteran's psoriatic arthritis and lumbosacral strain with herniated nucleus pulposus are rated at the maximum disability levels based on their severity.

The Board denied reopening the claim for a left knee disability and denied entitlement to an increased rating for cervical spine arthritis.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder and restrictive airway disease, but assigned effective dates of December 3, 1992, and April 11, 1996, respectively. The veteran appealed these effective dates, seeking earlier ones.

The Board found no credible evidence of a chronic neck or low back disorder in service, and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that no new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine and bilateral knees (claimed as back and bilateral knee disability), and psoriasis. The RO previously denied these claims in January 1998 without a timely appeal.

The veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at a combined 70 percent, and he is granted entitlement to a total compensation rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical and lumbosacral spine disabilities are currently rated at 20 percent, which is considered adequate to reflect their current severity.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for special monthly pension by reason of being housebound, finding that his medical condition does not meet the criteria due to lack of a single permanent disability rated 100% disabling and substantial confinement.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for cervical spondylosis, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development and consideration of his claims, including review of revised rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back disorder is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected recurrent left ankle sprain, and therefore denied entitlement to service connection for a back disorder secondary to his service-connected left ankle sprain.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine with spondylosis is related to his service-connected degenerative disease of the lumbar spine, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are in remission, but he continues to experience fatigue as a result of his treatment. His splenectomy is rated at 30 percent due to easy fatigability and risk of future recurrence of other malignancies. The cervical and thoracic degenerative joint disease warrant a 10 percent evaluation.

The veteran's low back strain, cervical spine disability, and headaches are all granted service connection. The skin condition (tinea cruris) is also granted as a direct result of service.