Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2008

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating are being remanded to the RO for further development.

The veteran's right shoulder and neck disabilities were not shown to be related to his active duty service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date for a 40 percent rating, as well as an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for his thoracic spine disability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not warrant increased ratings, and he is not entitled to a TDIU.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected cervical spine disability is being remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for further development and readjudication.

The veteran's claims for increased disability ratings were remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including a depressive disorder and arthritis of the cervical spine. The claims to reopen for left knee and hip disorders were denied as new and material evidence was not received. The veteran's lumbar spine, right knee, and sensory paresis ratings were also denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for lumbosacral spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as the evidence did not support higher ratings.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, lower back disability, and upper back disability. The claims to reopen for right carpal tunnel syndrome and left carpal tunnel syndrome were also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, as new and material evidence was not presented. The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for a back disability was remanded.

The veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for his cervical spine disorder was denied as the evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability as there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service, nor within the first post-service year, and no competent evidence linking the current disability to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a right hip disorder, chronic low back pain, and degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine were remanded for further development.

The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened, but not granted. The veteran's arthritis of the cervical and lumbar segments of the spine with degenerative changes did not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The claim for an increased evaluation for residuals of a cervical spine injury is being remanded for additional development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a cervical spine disability, and a thoracic spine disability as there was no evidence that these conditions were incurred during active service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the thoracic and cervical segments of the spine as there was no evidence that it had onset during service or was caused by a service-connected disability.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied, as well as his claims for service connection for various disabilities secondary to the right knee disability.

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, arthritis of the left little finger, cervical stenosis and IDS, and a disability manifested by stool leakage. The veteran's gum disease claim was also denied.