Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and other relevant documents.

The Veteran's myofascial pain syndrome affecting the right shoulder, neck, and back is not shown to meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5025. The evidence does not show widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points that are constant or nearly so, and refractory to therapy.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for VA examinations to determine the etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for lumbosacral strain and a cervical spine disability. The evidence added since the previous final denial is considered cumulative or redundant.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various disabilities, including neck and back injuries. The Board has ordered additional development to obtain relevant medical records and personnel files.

The Board found 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 determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's current lumbar and cervical spine disabilities are related to service. The case is being remanded for further examination and consideration of the evidence.

The Board has remanded the case to the Department of Veterans Affairs RO for a VA examination and further development due to inadequate reasons and bases in the September 2006 decision denying a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for cervical strain.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left knee, left shoulder, and neck disorders are not related to her military service. The VA examiner concluded these conditions are more likely due to a civilian motor vehicle accident in 2001.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic cervical spine or lumbar spine disorder during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

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

The Veteran's initial ratings for cervical spine and right clavicle disabilities were granted, with the cervical spine rated at 20 percent and the right clavicle disabilities each rated at noncompensable (zero percent) initially. The brachial plexus injury was not found to warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, bilateral knee, and fractured nose disabilities are service-connected as their onset is believed to have occurred during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for his service-connected disabilities were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent for each condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to missing records from the Social Security Administration and the Detroit VA Medical Center.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of lower extremities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine radiculopathy due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is denied as there is no evidence that the condition began during or was caused by active service. The tailbone disability claim is also denied as there is no evidence of its onset in service or causation from a service-connected condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine is not proximately due to or the result of service-connected disability. The claim for secondary service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the cervical and lumbar spines have been granted, with a rating of 20 percent for the lumbar spine effective February 17, 1997.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disorder in service and denied the claim for service connection.