Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is not ready for adjudication by the Board due to incomplete review and a need for issuance of a supplemental statement of the case. The Veteran should be scheduled for a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board found no evidence of a low back or cervical spine disability in service and concluded that the current disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to a single disability alone, and he is already rated at 100% disabling.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities, finding that there is no nexus between these conditions and his military service. The claim for bilateral knee disability was rendered moot due to a grant of service connection in a previous decision, and the claim for bilateral ankle disability was also rendered moot as it was not addressed by the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran's current cervical spine disability and his service or any service-connected condition, thus denying the claim.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection for any of his claimed conditions, including a low back disorder, bilateral shoulder and hip disorders, cervical spine disorder (neck), or insomnia disorder (claimed as sleep apnea). The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's genital herpes and cervical dysplasia are presumed to have existed prior to service, but the Board finds no clear and unmistakable evidence that these conditions were aggravated by service.,VA examinations found no current disabilities for the left middle finger or left ankle.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues on appeal.

The Veteran's right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are found to have their onset during his combat service in Vietnam.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is found to be etiologically related to service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for the issues of increased evaluations for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, and left shoulder degenerative joint disease with rotator cuff tendonitis prior to the Board's decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not related to service, while his hypertension is presumed to be due to Agent Orange exposure during service.,Service connection for these conditions was denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating available for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis or limitation of motion beyond what is already reflected in the current 20 percent rating.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for increased ratings for service-connected degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, and cervical spondylosis and degenerative disc disease status post fusion. As a result, these issues are dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral foot disorder is service-connected and a higher rating for her cervical spine disability is denied.

The Veteran's initial rating for migraine and tension headaches has been granted at a 50 percent level, effective from the date of claim. The right knee disability is rated at 10 percent, effective from the date of claim.

The Veteran's hypertension has been rated as 10 percent since the appeal period began, and a higher rating is not warranted.,Effective March 3, 2016, the Veteran is entitled to a 20 percent rating for her cervical spine disorder due to worsening symptoms. She does not meet criteria for a higher rating based on ankylosis or favorable ankyloses of the entire cervical spine.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder rotator cuff tendinopathy and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine are related to his service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder and left forearm disorders are granted service connection based on continuity of symptoms since service. The Veteran is also awarded a 30% disability rating for his service-connected left shoulder disorder.