Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2017

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cervical spondylosis, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim. The Veteran was also denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and right hand degenerative joint disease.,The Veteran is already service-connected for residual scar, status post excision of growth of the neck, but no other cervical spine scars have been established.

The Veteran is granted specially adapted housing due to multiple service-connected disabilities, including the loss or use of the left lower extremity and residuals of organic disease/injury affecting balance and propulsion. The issue of a special home adaptation grant is dismissed as moot.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claimed neck disability is not related to service or his service-connected low back disability, and thus does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus originated during active service and is granted service connection. The cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are found to be related to in-service back pain, but not due to or aggravated by any other service-connected conditions. The psychiatric disability remains at a 30 percent rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine disability was not incurred or aggravated by service and denied both his claim for service connection and his TDIU claim.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's degenerative changes of the cervical spine with mild thoracic spine kyphosis, finding that it is related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's service-connected left shoulder subluxation and degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine do not render him unemployable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is etiologically related to service and grants her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to schedule a Board videoconference hearing due to his request for such. The issues on appeal include increased rating for headache, service connection for cervical spine and right shoulder disabilities, reopening of gastroenteritis and back injury claims, and TDIU.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability has been rated at 20 percent since June 18, 2015. The Board found that the evidence did not meet criteria for a higher rating prior to this date.

The Board found that the appellant's current neck disorder is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to a disease or injury incurred during his period of ACDUTRA in June 1984, and thus denied service connection for residuals of a neck injury.

The Board has remanded the case for issuance of a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) due to the Veteran not receiving the most recent SSOC, which did not afford him an appropriate period of time to respond.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder, back, neck, right knee, and left knee disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has denied both service connection claims for a neck injury with residual degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and occipital frontal headaches with photophobia as secondary to the cervical spine disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and neck disability are service-connected, with no issues related to a clothing allowance or fee dispute.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are severe enough to warrant Category I status for self-employment, but the evidence does not show that all traditional employment goals other than self-employment are unsuitable due to his disabilities. Therefore, the appeal is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to September 25, 2012 prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and asking the Veteran to identify any outstanding evidence. The appeal will be further reviewed after these actions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disorders, as well as his claim for a TBI rating in excess of 30 percent. The Board found that there was no evidence showing chronicity or continuity of symptoms since service, and the medical opinions were against a finding that the current conditions are related to service.