Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection was withdrawn, with the exception of his claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for atonic neurogenic bladder after August 28, 2012. The Veteran is satisfied with the current rating assigned.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for all issues before the Board.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a cervical spine disorder, diabetes mellitus, kidney disorder, liver disorder, and autoimmune disorder. The decision found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine, brainstem and headache disorders due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,Specifically, the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is considered congenital in nature and not shown to be related to his military service. His headaches are also considered chronic but not linked to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further action due to a disagreement with the September 2015 decision denying service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, and left leg disorders. The case is now pending before the Board.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain relevant medical records and a supplemental VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cervical spine disability. The case is now remanded for further action.

The Board granted service connection for gout of the hands and denied service connection for a cervical spine disability. The claim to reopen the previously denied claims was also granted, but no effective date is assigned as it pertains to new evidence received.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right shoulder disability did not manifest in service or within one year following his separation from service, and is not otherwise etiologically related to service or secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic left ankle or cervical spine disability during service, and the preponderance of the evidence is against finding that any current disabilities are related to service. The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus and lumbosacral strain were not shown to have caused or aggravated his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative prior to the Board issuing a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine fracture with osteoarthritis does not meet the criteria for a TDIU as it is rated at 20 percent disabling and does not result in unemployability due to his disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were granted. Service connection was established for migraine headaches, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and low back disability. The Veteran received a 100% rating for her left knee patellofemoral syndrome effective from April 6, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether his conditions preclude such employment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings for arthritis of the cervical spine and fibromyalgia with chronic pain syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for back trauma and cervical strain cannot be granted as they are found to have resulted from willful misconduct during active service. The claim of service connection for sleep problems is denied due to lack of a current disability diagnosis.

The Board denied service connection for DJD and DDD of the lumbar spine and DJD of the cervical spine, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further development regarding herbicide exposure but this was not completed.

The Veteran's Grave's Disease and Thyroid Disability are service-connected.,Hypertension, COPD/emphysema, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Upper and Lower Extremities, Acquired Psychiatric Disability (other than PTSD), Right Shoulder Disability, Stomach Disability, and Neck Disability have not been found to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbosacral spine disabilities are related to his in-service helicopter crash, and service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of in-service vaccinations, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity neurological disability, left lower extremity neurological disability, and right lower extremity neurological disability was denied. The Board found no current diagnosis or disability related to his adverse reaction to in-service vaccinations.

The Veteran's claim for a temporary total evaluation due to hospitalization and convalescence following his March 2008 accident was denied as the criteria for such an evaluation were not met. The Veteran sustained injuries related to his service-connected shoulder disability, but did not meet the requirement of at least 21 days of hospitalization or surgery resulting in immobilization by a cast.