Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic cervical strain with foraminal encroachment is at least as likely as not related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neck disability and has determined that his neurological deficiencies of the left and right lower extremities are related to his service-connected back disability. The appeal is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining imaging of the Veteran's cervical spine and seeking his complete Official Military Personnel File. The issues on appeal are whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for cervical arthritis with radicular symptoms and residuals of a head injury.

The Board has remanded the claims for edema of the hips and hands, bilateral shoulder disorder, and thoracic spine disorder due to incomplete development. The Veteran's service connection claims are being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for a neck disability. The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for back disability is currently pending.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues related to service connection and increased ratings for various disabilities, including post-traumatic headaches, trauma to the dorsolumbar region with myositis, and cervical spine injuries.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining an addendum from the November 2010 VA examiner and updating the claims file with recent VAMC medical records. The case will also be readjudicated in light of the criteria for spinal disorders that were in effect in November 2002.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for post-operative residuals of an anterior cervical corpectomy and cervical diskectomy, finding no evidence of a chronic condition since service separation. The claim was also not granted on a secondary basis as there was no competent medical link between his service-connected low back disorder and his current neck condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for TDIU, as his combined rating is 40 percent. The VA examiner concluded that he is unable to work due to fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndrome rather than from his service-connected back and knee strain.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability was not rated higher than 10 percent from August 1, 2007 to October 22, 2008 and in excess of 20 percent from October 23, 2008.,The Veteran's left ankle disability was rated at 10 percent from August 1, 2007 to October 22, 2008 and increased to 20 percent from October 23, 2008. The rating decision did not specify the effective date.,The Veteran's right wrist disability was rated at 10 percent. No specific effective date is provided in the decision summary.,The Veteran's left ulnar nerve laceration was rated at 10 percent. No specific effective date is provided in the decision summary.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to address whether the Veteran's cervical spine, migraine headache, and blurred vision disabilities are caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar disc disease.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral knee conditions and service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II have been withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and left shoulder disorder as being related to an in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further examination.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disc disease, right knee chondromalacia patella and left knee chondromalacia patella are rated at 10 percent each. The Veteran's left ankle sprain is also rated at 10 percent. No higher ratings are warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's current low back disability is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for DDD of the cervical spine, finding that the Veteran's continuity of symptomatology with respect to his cervical spine following service is credible. The claims for depression and headaches are remanded for further development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spine disability and granted it, as well as granting service connection for right upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran is now entitled to a higher initial evaluation of 10% for her left arm radiculopathy.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of a lumbosacral spine disability. The extension of temporary total rating based on left knee surgery is denied as the Veteran was not shown to be unable to work due to his left knee condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for various service-connected disabilities were denied. The claims for cervical spine, low back strain with arthritis, right shoulder, and left knee conditions have been evaluated under the appropriate diagnostic codes.