Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2015

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and updated medical records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for headaches, a cervical spine condition, post-traumatic stress disorder, shin splints (left and right lower extremities), and a respiratory condition. The Veteran did not have any current diagnoses of these conditions at the time of his VA examinations or during his hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disability is not related to his in-service injury and did not find any aggravation of a pre-existing condition during periods of service. Therefore, service connection for this disability was denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and a neck disability, both secondary to his service-connected fracture of the nose. The Veteran's testimony raised a reasonable possibility of establishing that his sleep apnea is related to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's insomnia is considered incurred in service, while his cervical spine disorder does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, TMJ, and other conditions are being considered. The Board has found the evidence to be in equipoise on whether these disorders were incurred during service.,Service connection is granted for a lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and migraines.

The Veteran's appeal for the reduction of evaluations for various service-connected conditions has been withdrawn.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected cervical spine disability and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a videoconference hearing. The claims related to cervical spine, flat feet, bilateral knee disorder, stomach pain, right leg length discrepancy, bowel disorder, and Eustachian tube dysfunction are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and radiculopathy of the left upper extremity have been granted initial ratings, with a December 10, 2007 effective date for the cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various conditions, including his lumbar and cervical spine conditions, knee disorders, foot disorder, migraines, PTSD, psychiatric disorders, shoulder disorders, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, chest tightness, and chronic fatigue. The appeals were not granted as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under applicable rating schedules.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claims for service connection for dysplasia with cervical cancer and PTSD, but denied both claims on their merits.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability, finding that it is proximately due to or caused by the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability. The issue of whether service connection is warranted for a cervical spine disability claimed as secondary to service-connected disability to include the left knee disability remains pending and will be addressed in the remand portion.

The Board finds that there is no medical evidence indicating that the Veteran's right or left knee disabilities are proximately due to, the result of, or aggravated by a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claims for service connection for these conditions have been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disability did not manifest during or as a result of active service and was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected lumbosacral spine disability or TBI.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any current neck disability, skin disability, residuals of head trauma, and acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and having a VA examiner reconsider his opinions in light of new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claims will be readjudicated after this.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been granted, with the exception of his claim for a TDIU rating. The Veteran is now receiving the maximum schedular evaluations for all service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for cervical spine disability, gastritis with duodenitis, gout, and sleep apnea due to additional development being required.