Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2012

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the cervical spine, right elbow, shoulder arthritis, left ear hearing loss, and dermatitis. The appeals were not successful.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and a cervical spine disorder were not granted. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a neck disability or depression that is related to his military service and denied both claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is not etiologically related to service and denied her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD was initially rated at 30 percent and increased to 50 percent effective February 20, 2009.,Since November 5, 2007, the Veteran's migraine headaches have been rated at 50 percent.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for further examination regarding the impact of service-connected right knee disability on the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted. The disability ratings for his cervical spine, lumbar spine, right and left knee disabilities, and bilateral hand arthritis have been adjusted based on the findings from recent VA examinations.

The Veteran's combined disability rating for his service-connected conditions is currently at 40 percent, effective January 1, 2005. The Board finds no error in the calculation and denies the claim for a higher combined rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling new examinations to assess the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 12, 2004, for the grant of service connection for her service-connected disabilities was denied as she did not file a formal or informal claim prior to that date.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a pre-existing cervical spine disability that he claims was aggravated by his active military service. The Board has ordered additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and any available Social Security Administration (SSA) or workers' compensation records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease, neck disability, right shoulder disability, and back disability has been granted. The conditions are linked to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was found to warrant a 20 percent rating, effective July 1, 2011.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left cervical rib syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome were aggravated by his military service, warranting a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical and thoracic/lumbar spine disabilities have been rated at the lowest possible level (10%) since their effective dates, as they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for various disabilities, including depression, a neck scar, Meniere's disease, and bilateral leg paralysis. The new and material evidence claims were also denied.

The Veteran's neck disability and hypothyroidism are not service-connected.,His right foot plantar fasciitis with heel spurs is rated at 10 percent, while his left foot condition remains rated at 10 percent. The Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for further development due to insufficient medical evidence addressing the relationship between his current back and neck disabilities and military service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder may be related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability, and the case is being remanded for a VA examination to determine this relationship.