Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2013

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The Board has not found new and material evidence to reopen the claims for bilateral knee disability, bilateral foot fungus condition, or leg length discrepancy.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for spondylosis of the cervical spine and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine. The Veteran is seeking a higher initial rating for his lumbar spine disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a cervical spine disability causally related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's cervical myofascial pain syndrome is rated at 50 percent for tension headaches and a separate 10 percent rating for limitation of motion. The left ear hearing loss is rated as non-compensable.

The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's additional disabilities were caused by VA treatment, negligence or lack of proper skill.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to a request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disorder due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and SSA decision documents.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including back and neck injuries sustained during service, do not meet the criteria for service connection. The evidence does not establish a current disability or link to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is caused by his service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, and granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claim for TDIU due to additional information provided by the Appellant and new medical evidence. The case is now pending further development and review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's back and neck disabilities are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical strain with joint narrowing and lumbar strain were evaluated based on their current manifestations, resulting in a 10 percent disability rating. The issues of TDIU and effective dates for the grant of service connection remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine and right knee disabilities were denied as the evidence did not show that his conditions warranted a rating higher than 10 percent.

The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine disability in service or within one year after discharge, and concluded that the current cervical spine degenerative joint disease is not related to service. The Veteran's statements regarding onset were deemed unreliable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and neck disabilities are not related to service, and have denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain his SSA records and VA treatment records, as well as to attempt to locate any private chiropractor records. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities, finding new and material evidence. The Veteran's current low back disability is found to be related to active service.

The Board found the Veteran's lumbar and cervical spine conditions did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 2012, as his range of motion was within functional limits.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including additional VA examinations to address the claims of service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbosacral spine disability, and right ankle disability. The claims will be reconsidered after this additional development.