Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is granted with a 60 percent evaluation, and his claims for cervical spine disorder and headache disorder are also granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and impotence, including psychogenic impotence. Service connection is granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Board found no evidence of a current cervical spine disability related to service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and a pulmonary disorder. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and review of his medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a prostate disability and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, as well as his requests for increased ratings for tinnitus, left clavicle fracture residuals, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his active duty service and resolving any doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection, initial ratings, and earlier effective date are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for right hip disorder, cervical spine disorder, and lumbar spine disorder. However, the claim of service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD is denied. The Veteran's traumatic arthritis of the right knee and residuals of multiple sprains of the right ankle with traumatic arthritis are each rated at 10 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and thoracic spine disabilities, as well as degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, were previously denied. The Board finds that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease and lumbar spine osteoarthropathy are currently rated as 10 percent disabling, but do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for cervical spine disorder and lung disorder, finding new and material evidence since the final denial of these claims in February 1998 and August 1990 respectively.

The Veteran is entitled to additional vocational rehabilitation services under Chapter 31, Title 38 of the United States Code due to his current occupation being closely related to his Individualized Employment Assistance Plan and necessitating the authorized training.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical strain, but denied service connection for headaches. The Veteran's cervical strain is presumed to have been incurred in service due to reported symptoms during his deployment to Iraq. Headaches are not linked to service.

The Veteran's cervical spine, low back, and bilateral shoulder disabilities are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hand and cervical spine disabilities are related to his service, thus granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total disability evaluation based on convalescence following cervical spine surgery in June 2002 is denied as there is no competent evidence showing the need for convalescence within one year of his November 2005 claim.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability, headaches, and bilateral knee disabilities. The issue of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a right upper extremity disability was also addressed.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for the Veteran's right upper extremity disability was denied as it did not meet the criteria of being due to VA treatment, or an event not reasonably foreseeable.

The Board found that the Veteran's neck disability is not causally or etiologically related to his military service and denied the claim for service connection.