Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2007

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, and PTSD have been denied. The RO has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for his bilateral hearing loss or an increased evaluation for his cervical spine disability or PTSD.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected cervical spine DDD, tinnitus, and low back DDD with arthritic changes. The VA found that the veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable rating schedule. Service connection was also denied for arthritis of various joints and GERD.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal for the issues of increased rating and service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current disability related to the veteran's claimed concussion or cervical spine injury, and thus service connection cannot be granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to his military service and have denied all of his claims for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various hand, neck, low back, right knee, and right ankle disabilities have been denied. The Board found no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current low back and neck disabilities did not begin during service or are otherwise related to his military service, thus denying both claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection for tendonitis of the left knee and depression have not been reopened, while her claim for a cervical spine condition has been reopened. The Board is unable to determine if she currently suffers from tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further action, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing and returning it to the Board if necessary.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and thoracic spine disorders, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, and left hip disorder as secondary to his service-connected low back strain.

The veteran is seeking service connection for PTSD and a back disability. The case has been remanded to schedule the veteran for a Travel Board hearing.

The veteran's service connection claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), to include as secondary to service-connected sarcoidosis, was denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the current GERD is related to active service or service-connected sarcoidosis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's back, neck and shoulder disabilities are secondary to his service-connected Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for cervical strain, effective from December 21, 2006. The other claims were not addressed as the veteran withdrew his appeals.

The veteran's application for specially adapted housing or a certificate of eligibility for a special home adaptation grant due to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities is being remanded for further development and evaluation.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant's representative requested withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine disorder, diagnosed as spondyloarthropathy, was incurred during active service and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied all claims for service connection as the evidence does not establish a nexus between any of the claimed conditions and service.

The Board denied a rating higher than 40 percent for the veteran's service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease, finding that his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The veteran's hearing acuity is rated at Level II in the right ear and Level IV in the left ear, resulting in a noncompensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.,The veteran's service-connected GERD with esophagitis does not meet the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation due to less severe symptoms such as pain, vomiting, material weight loss, hematemesis or melena, and moderate anemia.