Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the relationship between his hearing loss and cervical spine disability and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions began in or were made worse by military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disc disease is a result of his active military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of entitlement to service connection for myelopathy with atrophy and central canal stenosis, cervical spine; polysensory motor neuropathy, bilateral hands; polysensory motor neuropathy, right foot; and PTSD.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records from Dr. Stuart A. Leder.

The Veteran's right wrist degenerative joint disease is found to be related to service. The Board finds no evidence of a neck injury or disability during service, and the VA examiner opined that arthritis of the cervical spine was not likely caused by an in-service incident.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. As a result, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a neurological examination to determine the level of neurologic impairment in the left upper extremity and whether a separate rating is warranted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development to determine his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left upper extremity weakness and headaches, finding that the current ratings adequately reflected the severity of these disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and pseudofolliculitis barbae, but denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his shin splints with compartment syndrome, hernia residuals, and tinea pedis, as well as his claim for service connection for asthma.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome is not related to her military service or a service-connected disorder, and thus denied her claim for service connection. The criteria for specially adapted housing were also not met due to the absence of loss or loss of use of both upper extremities as to preclude locomotion.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is presumed to have existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service. Effective April 23, 2009, the Veteran's bilateral pes cavus with hallux valgus warrants a 10% evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty service and is not etiologically related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected cervical strain.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting cervical spine disorder was aggravated by service, and thus is entitled to service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on the issue of lung cancer is dismissed. The Board also found that hypertension, cervical and lumbar spine stenosis, COPD, BPH, hemorrhoids, and Lyme disease are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and a right clavicle disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions as being incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right ankle disability, cervical spine disability, right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability.