Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2014

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded for additional examinations to determine if they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA treatment records and to schedule a new VA examination. The claims for increased rating of cervical strain and TDIU will be adjudicated based on the updated evidence.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his cervical spine disability was denied. The current evaluations of 10 percent prior to June 25, 2012 and 20 percent since that date were found not to meet the criteria for an increased evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back, cervical spine, and bilateral elbow disabilities are related to his military service. The claims for these conditions have been granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional examinations to assess the functional impairment caused by his service-connected disabilities and for further development.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and associated radiculopathy have been rated based on their severity, with the highest ratings granted for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal involves issues related to his urinary tract infections, cervical dysplasia, a sleep disorder, and dependency benefits for his children. The case is being remanded due to the need for additional development of VA treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO/AMC for further development and consideration of his claims, including a cervical spine disorder claim and an earlier effective date claim for his right middle finger disability.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar disc disease and cervical disc disease. This includes obtaining VA treatment records, private medical records, and ensuring all relevant evidence is considered in reaching a decision.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran meets the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD related to his military service and established a causal nexus between current symptomatology and the claimed in-service stressors.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and VA/SSA disability benefit records. The Veteran's claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is related to a February 2009 penile pump implantation surgery at the VA Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee. His claim for service connection for a cervical spine (neck) disability will be evaluated based on line of duty determination and potential etiology.

The Board has determined that it is at least as likely as not that the appellant's current chronic sinusitis had its onset during his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected back and neck disabilities have been rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board has determined that the evidence does not support a higher initial evaluation for either disability during the appeal period.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disability, including degenerative disc disease (DDD), is not linked to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current disability is directly related to her in-service injury. The claims for left elbow and left hand disorders are not supported by the evidence presented.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for further development. The Veteran's service-connected conditions include patellar femoral syndrome of the right knee, asthma, and cervical spine disability.

The Board denied service connection for a back disability and TDIU, finding that the Veteran's current back disabilities were not related to his active duty service or service-connected bilateral ankle disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spondylosis, claimed as nerve damage to the neck and extremities, is being remanded due to additional development needed.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for service connection for headaches and for an increased rating for his lumbar spine disability. The claim of reopening a cervical spine disability was also denied, as no current cervical spine disability is related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as determining his Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits determination.