Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2007

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right knee, left knee, lumbar spine, and cervical spine disorders due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred during or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities and determine if he needs aid and attendance.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, cervical spine disability (DDD), lumbar spine disability (DDD), and scoliosis due to a lack of competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of spondylosis of the cervical spine with radiculopathy and an increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine. The veteran's current neck disability was not incurred or aggravated in service, and arthritis may not be presumed to have been. For his lumbar spine disability, a higher rating than 40 percent is denied as there are no findings of pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome or unfavorable ankylosis.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not incur cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, or left shoulder disabilities in service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The veteran's claims for prostate cancer, low back disorder, and cervical spine disorder were denied as there was no evidence of a causal connection to service or exposure to asbestos.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete development and need for further examination.

The veteran's claim of service connection for cervical spondylosis is being remanded due to the need to address a separate issue regarding lumbosacral strain and potential clear and unmistakable error in a previous rating decision.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current tinnitus or cervical spine disability to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and medical records from the veteran's Merchant Marine service. The veteran is also to be scheduled for VA examinations to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 40 percent for the service-connected lumbar spine disability, effective October 1, 1999. The veteran's cervical spine disability is rated under Diagnostic Code 5243.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection were denied. The appeals are dismissed.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim and granted service connection for a cervical spine disability, finding that the veteran's pre-existing condition was aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that his conditions did not meet the criteria for higher disability evaluations based on either functional loss or limitation of motion.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's right shoulder and cervical spine conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee arthritis, cervical spine DJD and DDD, and lumbar spine DJD and DDD, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his cervical spine disability, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent under applicable evaluation criteria.

The veteran's knee, hip, ankle, and foot disabilities are not service-connected. The Board denied the claims of service connection for left shoulder disability due to lack of evidence.