Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2010

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was not rated higher than the assigned percentages prior to April 29, 2008 and since that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and conducting new examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected herniated nucleus pulposus, lumbar spine and cervical disc disease.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service event/injury/disease associated with those disabilities.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected anterior cervical discectomy with interbody fusion warrants a disability rating of 20 percent effective May 9, 2007.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's neck disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor is it related to her service-connected low back disability. The claim for service connection for a neck disability is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his service records and for examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not service-connected, as they were not present in service or within one year of separation. The Board denied the claim for an increased evaluation for PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for acquired heart disease, COPD, neck disability, back disability, and psychiatric disability to include depression. The appellant is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a cervical spine disability, which she claims was caused by an injury during basic training. The Board has ordered another VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of her current cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate duty-to-assist explanations in previous decisions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is being remanded due to incomplete records, deficient VCAA notice, and need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded to the RO for further development of his medical records, including those from UPMC sports medicine center and Dr. Spiro at Magee-Womens Hospital.

The Veteran's cervical strain is currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher rating as there are no manifestations of additional functional impairment due to pain or other symptoms.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder (heat rash) and a cervical spine disorder, as there is no competent medical evidence of current disabilities that are related to her military service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical nerve damage with decreased strength of both arms, right hip disability, left hip disability, tinea pedis and onychomycosis of both feet, and bilateral CTS disabilities. The Veteran's claims were reopened but the Board found no evidence to support these conditions as being related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been denied. The Board found that the current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver. The Board finds that these conditions are minor, quiescent disabilities.

The Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2. The Veteran has PTSD that is related to in-service stressors. Service connection for degenerative disk disease of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine is granted as secondary to his service-connected right ankle sprain.

The Veteran's appeal of the claims for service connection for liver disorder, kidney disorder, post concussion syndrome, cervicalgia, lacerations of the face and nose, right foot contusions, and to reopen the claim of service connection for a low back disability was withdrawn. The claim for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied as there is no legal basis for assignment of a schedular evaluation in excess of 10 percent.