Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2009

The veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for internal derangement of the right knee prior to February 22, 2008, and claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, heart murmur, lumbar spine disk disease, cervical spine disk disease, and residuals of a left knee injury are being remanded for further development.

The Board remands the case for a new examination to evaluate the severity of the veteran's service-connected cervical spine disorder, as well as to consider the applicability of 38 C.F.R. § 4.40 and 4.45.

The veteran withdrew his appeal with respect to the claims of service connection for a bilateral leg condition, a bilateral hip condition, and a disability manifested by hot and cold spells.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, right shoulder, wrists, hips, and left ankle; carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist; degenerative joint disease (arthritis) of the lumbar spine to include residuals of surgery; and residuals of a left knee contusion to include arthritis.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for cervical disc disease, as there was no competent medical evidence establishing a nexus between the condition and either his time in service or his service-connected right shoulder disorder.

The veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spondylosis, left shoulder pain, and an increased rating for low back disability were denied. The claim to reopen a previously denied psychiatric disorder was not addressed in the decision.

The claims for service connection for right shoulder, low back, cervical spine, and left hip disorders are being remanded to provide the veteran with proper notice regarding new and material evidence.

The veteran's discharge from his period of service was under dishonorable conditions, and he is barred from VA compensation benefits for that period. The claims for service connection for various disabilities were denied as there is no evidence to support a direct link between the claimed conditions and his active duty.

The veteran's PTSD was rated at 30 percent prior to July 16, 2006, and increased to 50 percent from that date due to symptoms of depressed mood, difficulty sleeping, flashbacks, startle response, hypervigilence, and difficulty establishing effective work and social relationships.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional medical examinations and evidence to determine the nature, severity, and etiology of his cervical spine disorder and lumbar strain with scoliosis.

The Board restored the veteran's 20 percent rating for numbness of the left (minor) arm secondary to degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent. The Board also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, right shoulder, and skin conditions as there was no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's active duty and his currently shown conditions.

The veteran's initial ratings for osteoarthritic changes of the thoracolumbar and cervical spine, as well as mild and persistent exercise-induced bronchial asthma with inactive pulmonary sarcoidosis, were denied.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease (C5-6) with right cervical musculoskeletal strain, as the current evidence did not support a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine disability was remanded for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, low back, and lower right leg and ankle disabilities as there was no evidence that these conditions were related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability, to include as secondary to a shrapnel wound, is being remanded for further development.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected spine conditions are being remanded for further development, including a complete neurological and orthopedic examination.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, cervical spine disability, and a higher rating for shell fragment wound of the left arm were denied as there was no evidence supporting these conditions or their relationship to his military service.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for multilevel cervical spondylosis with tension spasms, left trapezius and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for ganglionectomy, right wrist.