Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show any non-replaceable missing teeth due to loss of substance of body of maxilla or mandible, and thus his dental condition claim was denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to assess any current headache disorder. The claims will be readjudicated after all evidence is considered.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is not shown to meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent, and therefore her claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of heat stroke and sun poisoning was denied. The Board found no current disability related to the claimed conditions. For cervical whiplash, spinal nerve damage, and TMJ, additional evidence is needed as they are pending.

The Veteran's death was caused by cardiac arrest due to or as a consequence of acute myocardial infarction and coronary atherosclerosis, which were related to his in-service high blood pressure readings and chest pains. The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the Veteran's thoracolumbar and cervical spine disorders are not related to his military service, or any incident therein.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his cervical spine and lumbosacral spine disabilities were denied. The claim for a higher rating for cutaneous neuritis of the left thigh was also denied as it is already at its maximum allowable rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for a cervical spine disability and headaches, finding that there is no credible evidence linking these disabilities to his military service or any service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature of any nodule on her neck.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have current left ear hearing loss, lumbar spine disorder, or cervical spine disorder. For his right knee disability, a compensable rating was granted but no more than 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disorder, pelvis disorder, and residuals of a concussion (memory loss) in July 2005. New evidence submitted since then does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability and no causal link to military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, migraine disorder, and jaw disorder. After considering all of the evidence, including a private medical opinion linking current disabilities to service trauma, the Board finds in favor of granting these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected lumbar and cervical spine disabilities have been denied. The evaluation for the lumbar spine remains at 20 percent, while the evaluation for the cervical spine prior to February 29, 2012 is still at 10 percent.,For the period before February 29, 2012, the Veteran's cervical spine disability was rated as 10 percent disabling. However, starting from that date, it has been rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board found no credible evidence of an in-service neck/cervical spine injury and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for cervical spine spondylosis.,The Board also found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection for headaches as secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for radiculopathy with a noncompensable rating, denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, and deferred service connection for a cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from February 1997 to August 2006 and since March 2012. The appeal is now pending again with the AOJ.