Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2014

The Board denied service connection for impingement of a nerve and cervical spine disability, finding no medical evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a back disability and granted it. The Veteran's chest pain is not considered to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's cervicalgia with dizziness and cervical spine stenosis and spondylosis are related to his duties as a pilot during military service, and the Board grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee, cervical spine, and low back disabilities were denied as the evidence did not establish current diagnoses or a link to service.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disorders, concluding that these conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and numbness and loss of dexterity of the bilateral hands as secondary to service-connected conditions. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not related to military service or found to be aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Board determined that the Veteran does not have current residuals of a traumatic brain injury, and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition. The cervical spine disorder, thoracic spine disorder, and left upper extremity disorder are also not related to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected disabilities, including hematuria, left wrist fracture residuals, lumbar and cervical spine conditions, hip and knee disorders, as well as a right great toe bunion. The issues are related to the evaluation of these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by his service, including a motor vehicle accident. The VA examiner opined that these conditions are less likely than not caused by any military service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic cervical spine, lumbar spine, or bilateral hip disability during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical opinions and missing records. The Veteran's claims will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a diagnosed cervical spine disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to the finding that his MVA was a result of willful misconduct. The Board is remanding the case for further clarification and examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims, including those related to increased ratings for cervical spine disorder, low back disorder, left foot disability, left ankle disorder, and right ankle disorder. The issues of service connection for a hip disorder are also inextricably intertwined with these other claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's neck injury during service resulted in current cervical spondylosis with degenerative disc disease, which is now service-connected.,Agent Orange exposure during service led to a current diagnosis of lichen simplex chronicus, for which the Veteran is also service-connected.,Service connection has been granted for erectile dysfunction, presumed related to his service-connected postoperative left inguinal hernia.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities have been granted, but the ratings for these conditions remain at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD with an effective date of August 3, 2005, the date the Veteran initially filed his claim. The issues of service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities, as well as whether new and material evidence has been presented to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for his cervical spine disability has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating prior to October 2, 2012 or since that date.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection of his cervical spine, lumbar spine, right hip and right knee disabilities. This includes obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a comprehensive orthopedic examination.