Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right knee disorders are at least as likely as not responsible for his thoracolumbar spine degenerative disc disease, cervical spine disorder, and left arm radiculopathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a cervical spine disability, bilateral knee disability, and right shoulder disability. The evidence did not support the Veteran's contention that his disabilities were related to service or secondary to his service-connected conditions.,There was no evidence of a current disability in service or within one year after separation from service for arthritis of the cervical spine. The examiner opined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is less likely caused by or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar spine and/or right foot disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the minimum percentage requirements for award of a schedular TDIU, and these disabilities are not shown to prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected cervical spine disability and left pelvis fracture residuals.

The Board has remanded the case for another VA examination to determine if the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is related to service, including an in-service motorcycle accident, and whether it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected status post fracture of the left scapula with dislocation of the left sternoclavicular joint and axillary nerve involvement.

The Board denied service connection for a neck disability and granted service connection for thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease, degenerative disc disease, and chronic mechanical strain. The Veteran's neck disability is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service, and is not caused or aggravated by service-connected back disability.

The Board has ordered additional VA examinations and remanded the case for further development due to incomplete follow-up on scheduled exams.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and neck disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found no evidence of a cervical spine disability or arthritis being present within one year of separation from active service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spine disabilities are not related to service. The preponderance of evidence indicates these conditions were caused by civilian work rather than an in-service injury.,Service connection for a cervical spine disability, thoracic spine disability, and lumbosacral spine disability is denied as the Veteran's current spine disabilities are more likely due to his civilian employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a VA opinion regarding the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine conditions did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and are not etiologically related to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his cervical spine disability was denied as the evidence did not show that he met the schedular criteria for a higher rating. The Board found no additional loss of function or change in range of motion after repetitive use testing.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic low back strain is rated at 20 percent since December 30, 2015. Service connection for cervical spine disability has been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran does not have a low back disability, cervical spine disability, left arm or left hand disability (including numbness), or headaches that were caused by his service. The Board finds the preponderance of evidence against these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's GERD was incurred in service and granted service connection. The esophageal disorder other than GERD is related to service, as are asthma and bronchitis. Service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a chronic acquired psychiatric disorder were denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cervical spine disorder with upper extremity radiculopathy and hypertension have been granted, effective from June 11, 2009, for hypertension, and May 16, 2016, for the cervical spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing new VA examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected right shoulder arthritis, cervical spine DDD with spasms, and lumbosacral spine DDD.