Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2006

The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine injury or disability during service and concluded that the veteran's current cervical spine disability is not related to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current disabilities of cervical arthritis were not incurred in service and are not causally or etiologically related to service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has denied all claims for higher initial and subsequent ratings, finding that the evidence does not meet the criteria for the requested increased disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice and need for further development of medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, and for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The veteran's cervical spine disability was initially rated at 10 percent prior to November 10, 2003. From that date until September 25, 2003, the rating was increased to 20 percent for arthritis and disc disease of the cervical spine. After September 25, 2003, no higher evaluation is warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disabilities were denied as there is no competent medical evidence to relate these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disability warrants a 30 percent rating, effective from the date of this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus with vision disability and increased ratings for the veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, and skull fracture disabilities. The effective dates are not specified as they were previously established.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine, left knee, and right knee disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disorder is related to his service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. However, there is insufficient evidence linking the current bilateral knee injuries with service.

The veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and cervical spine disorders have been granted initial evaluations of 20 percent each, effective January 1, 2001. The right ankle inversion injury and right eye residuals are not rated as compensable.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for additional VA examinations. The veteran's claims of service connection for headaches, a cervical spine disorder, and a sleep disorder are being reviewed.

The Board has granted a 20 percent evaluation for arthritis of the right shoulder, finding that it is aggravated by the veteran's service-connected above-the-left-knee amputation.

The Board denied claims for increased ratings for traumatic arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current lumbosacral spine and cervical spine disabilities to his period of service, thus denying these claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete documentation and failure to provide proper VCAA notice.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine radiculopathy and denied the other claims. The veteran's current neck problems are related to a 1992 automobile accident.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar strain and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration of the revised rating criteria.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, bilateral ankle, neck, right and left knee arthritis, and hypertension, were denied as there is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions.