Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before a decision can be rendered in this case, including obtaining English translations of Spanish language medical records and providing an adequate VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for de novo review by the Decision Review Officer (DRO) process, and further development is needed before the claims can be adjudicated.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding service treatment records and personnel records, which need to be obtained for a new medical opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's migraine headaches are related to service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. The other claims of service connection have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right wrist disability and bilateral hearing loss, as well as his attempt to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist. The decision also addressed whether new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen this claim.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back and cervical spine disabilities are related to his active duty service, establishing service connection.,Service connection for tinnitus is also granted as it is found to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and his claim to reopen asbestosis was not reopened. His psychiatric disability and COPD were found not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are related to his active service, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities can be decided. The Veteran's lay statements, medical records, and in-service events will need to be reviewed and evaluated.

The Board has determined that the appellant's neck disability is related to a period of active duty for training and service connection is granted. The claims for left ankle and left knee disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or chronic condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address the Veteran's spine and shoulder disabilities. The issues of service connection are still pending.

The Veteran's cervical spine, lumbar spine, and right knee disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of current respiratory or right hand disabilities related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be causally or etiologically due to service. Service connection for tinnitus is established.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the claims for service connection for disability of the right hand, disability of the right shoulder, disability of the lumbosacral spine, and disability of the cervical spine.

The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, which was initially rated at 10 percent prior to March 23, 2009, and at 20 percent as of that date. The Board has determined that an additional examination is needed to assess the current severity of the condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current neck or left eye disability for VA purposes and there is no evidence of such disabilities during service. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claims of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, and his headaches are rated as 10 percent prior to April 2012 and 50 percent thereafter. The issues of service connection for upper extremity pain and TDIU have been remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including right shoulder, back, neck, right knee, and left knee disabilities, were not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty military service. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical torticollis/dystonia and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service and no in-service injury. The examiner concluded it is less likely than not that the conditions had onset during service.