Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2017

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected partial paralysis of the 5th and 6th cervical nerves, 5th cranial nerve, 11th cranial nerve, and 2nd cervical nerve (manifested through symptoms involving the seventh cranial nerve) do not warrant increased ratings beyond their current assigned levels.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is not related to her active service and therefore denied her claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection due to the lack of consideration of relevant medical history and lay statements.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine had its onset in service and is related to his in-service injury, granting service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for hand numbness, finding that the Veteran's current condition is due to an undiagnosed illness related to his active duty in the Persian Gulf War. Service connection was denied for neck disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cervical spine, lumbar spine, bilateral hip, bilateral knee, and left shoulder disabilities are the result of injuries sustained during service, including multiple parachute jumps. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for various disabilities, including psychiatric disability, cervical spine disability, diabetic neuropathy, urinary incontinence, spinal stenosis, stomach hernia, ischemic heart disease, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction (ED).

The Veteran seeks service connection for his neck disability, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected right knee disabilities. The case has been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the neck condition is related to the service-connected right knee and/or lumbar spine conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability has been rated at 20 percent since February 2004. The most recent VA examination in April 2014 showed forward flexion limited to 40 degrees, extension limited to 35 degrees, right lateral flexion limited to 30 degrees, left lateral flexion limited to 20 degrees, and rotation limited to 60 degrees. There is no evidence of muscle spasm, ankylosis, or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months.

The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for lumbosacral spine and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder.

The Board previously denied the Veteran's claims, but remanded for additional development. The case is now back before the Board and requires further examination to determine if service connection can be established for the residual disability of a trigeminal schwannoma.

The Board found that the Veteran's cervical spine condition, headaches, and bruxism are not related to his service-connected right and left shoulder disabilities.,The VA examinations did not find a direct link between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and the claimed conditions.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for PTSD and his bilateral shoulder disability. His neck, upper back, hand, knee, and ankle disabilities are not related to active service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for cervical dysplasia and low grade intraepithelial neoplasia, finding that these conditions are not disabilities for VA compensation purposes.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient examination reports and other procedural issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, including arthritis, was incurred in service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability, bilateral shoulder disability, and migraines are related to service. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back and cervical spine disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for low back strain and degenerative joint disease (DJD) and cervical strain and DJD were denied as the evidence did not show ankylosis of the spine or incapacitating episodes meeting the criteria.