Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2007

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, which are of a common etiology and have a combined evaluation of 60 percent, preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience. The Board grants the TDIU.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed cervical spine disability and total uterine prolapse were not incurred or aggravated by service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board granted a higher initial rating of 20 percent for the veteran's degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine on and after September 26, 2003, but denied service connection for Raynaud's phenomenon.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for a spinal disorder, but the claim remains denied.,Service connection for bilateral pes cavus with plantar fasciitis and degenerative joint disease of the right first metatarsophalangeal joint is denied as there is no compensable evaluation.

The Board denied the appellant's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for cervical arthritis, finding that no new and material evidence had been received.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's current cervical spine disability to his service or a service-connected condition, and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further evaluation of his service-connected cervical spine degenerative disc disease to determine the appropriate increased rating.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of her cervical spine disability, currently rated at 40 percent. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on severe limitation of motion or intervertebral disc disease.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining all records associated with the veteran's claim and receipt of Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits.

The VA determined that there is no evidence linking the veteran's arthritis of the cervical, dorsal, and lumbar spine to his service. The Board found that the veteran did not provide sufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board granted increased ratings for the veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disabilities under the criteria for arthritis with limitation of motion. The effective date is not specified as it was awarded in April 2006.

The veteran's neck disability and associated shoulder and upper back pain are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA orthopedic examination to assess the severity of the veteran's cervical spine injury and to determine if it is possible to separate symptoms of the service-connected cervical strain from those attributable to nonservice-connected cervical disc disease. The claim will be reconsidered based on the updated rating criteria for disabilities of the spine.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine muscle strain, onychomycosis and tinea pedis, and allergic conjunctivitis were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The veteran's request for an increased evaluation of his service-connected cervical C6-7 radiculopathy is being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations and additional development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA) and other applicable laws, regulations, and case law.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating and earlier effective date for service connection of residuals of a cervical spine injury is being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board found that the veteran's current cervical spine condition did not start during service and is unrelated to any in-service injury or a service-connected lumbar spine disability. Therefore, service connection for this condition was denied.

The Board denied service connection for low back disability, cervical spine disability, radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, depression, and genito-urinary disability. The veteran's claims were not supported by competent medical evidence linking his current conditions to his military service.

The veteran is service-connected for multiple disabilities, including a right shoulder disability rated at 40 percent disabling. The combined rating of his service-connected disabilities is 90 percent, meeting the criteria for a TDIU rating.