Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine and right hip disabilities are not related to service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's back condition is service-connected.,Glaucoma was not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's cervical strain with DDD, lumbar strain with DDD, and left lower extremity atrophy are being remanded for further development as the VA examination is inadequate to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for cervical spine disability, lumbosacral strain, and left and right carpal tunnel disabilities prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is at least as likely as not related to his military service, including two in-service injuries. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thoracolumbar spine disability and an initial rating higher than 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine. The appeal was remanded multiple times, but the claims were ultimately denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disabilities are not related to his service, and arthritis of the cervical spine did not manifest within one year post-service. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's cervical strain with multilevel degenerative spondylosis is more likely due to natural aging process rather than in-service injury.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for headaches and a cervical spine disorder, as well as her claim for an increased rating for low back strain. The case will be remanded to obtain new VA examinations and opinions regarding these issues.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support service connection for left hand arthritis, left arm numbness, or degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine on a direct basis.

The Veteran's cluster headaches were initially manifested during active service and are now granted as service connected. The cervical spine disorder, lung disorder, and skin disorder are also found to be related to service.

The Board has granted a 50 percent disability rating for service-connected headaches, finding that the Veteran's frequent and prolonged headache episodes meet the criteria for this rating. The claim of entitlement to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded as additional development is needed.

The Board found no evidence of a service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine, cervical spine, or left knee disabilities. The conditions were not shown to be related to his in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Veteran's appeal for increased evaluations of his cervical spine disability has been withdrawn.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) of both the cervical and lumbar spine, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including congestive heart failure and disorders of the cervical spine, right wrist, left shoulder, and right hip. The decision is based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA examination and providing an addendum to determine if there is a 50 percent or better probability that the Veteran's neck or cervical spine disability to include arthritis is etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine disorders have been evaluated as 10 percent disabling since February 25, 1994. The claims for higher evaluations are denied.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are currently rated at 40 percent each, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or incapacitating episodes meeting the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development and adjudicative action due to inadequate or incomplete opinions in previous VA examinations.