Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2011

The Board found no evidence of a current neck or right shoulder disability and denied service connection for both conditions, concluding that the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional information and evidence, including SSA records related to disability benefits.

The Board finds that the Veteran's lumbar strain, patella pain syndrome of both knees, and cervical spine disorder are all related to her service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine disability, myofascial pain syndrome of the thoracolumbar spine with degenerative disease, and anxiety disorder were all denied by the Board. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under the applicable rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a Gulf War protocol examination to determine if the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to service or an undiagnosed Gulf War illness.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been rated based on their current manifestations, with the highest possible rating of 10% for each condition as of March 31, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed cervical spine and right shoulder disabilities are not related to his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his service-connected conditions did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is not related to his service, and more likely than not was caused by aging. The claim for increased evaluation of lumbosacral strain remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were granted, with the effective date not specified.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his cervical spine disorder was denied by the Board. The case is being remanded to obtain additional VA medical records and for further development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder was evaluated at a 10 percent rating prior to December 7, 2006 and remains rated at 10 percent on and after that date. The Board found no basis for an increased evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an extra-schedular rating for his service-connected cervical spine disorder was denied. The Board found that the disability presented with symptoms already accounted for by the schedular criteria and did not meet the requirements for an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for neck and upper back disabilities, finding that there was no credible evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a cervical spine disability examination. The issue will be reconsidered under both direct service connection and secondary service connection theories.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected neck and back disabilities were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the applicable rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's service connection claims will be adjudicated under a merits analysis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is as likely as not related to an injury sustained during service, while his cervical spine disability is less likely caused by a service incident.,Service connection for the lumbar disorder is granted, but service connection for the cervical disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to clarify the current nature and likely etiology of any back and neck disabilities, including as a result of an in-service helicopter crash.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records from a chiropractor. The Veteran's claim of service connection for cervical injuries will be reconsidered based on this additional information.