Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's back and neck disabilities did not manifest in service or within the one-year presumptive period, and are not otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial evaluations have been denied. The Board found no evidence of ankylosis, incapacitating episodes, or other criteria warranting higher ratings.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's neck disability and radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and neck disabilities are not related to his active service, including any combat injuries he suffered. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left shoulder and cervical spine disabilities did not originate in service, within a year of service, or are otherwise etiologically related to her active service. The VA medical opinions provided no evidence supporting secondary service connection.

The Veteran's cervical spine DDD and associated cervicalgia have not met the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for neck, bilateral leg, and bilateral shoulder disabilities. The evidence did not establish a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to address his claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is not related to service or caused by his service-connected left shoulder disability, and thus denied the claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits was denied because he does not have an employment handicap, and his current occupation as a senior engineer is considered suitable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, and left knee disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's combined disability rating from September 15, 2016 is 80 percent. The competent and probative evidence shows that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from September 15, 2016.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, as well as a VA examination to address the etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional examinations and testing to address the severity of his spinal disabilities, as well as any impact on employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of DDD of the cervical spine is not related to military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a pre-existing condition in service or any increase in severity during service. The current conditions are not related to his right shoulder injury.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings in August 2016, leaving no issues for the Board to adjudicate.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities. The claims will be reconsidered in light of all pertinent evidence.

The Board is remanding the case to properly adjudicate whether a September 2003 rating decision denying service connection for cervical dysplasia, migraines, and Raynaud's Syndrome contained clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The issues of reopening claims for these conditions are inextricably intertwined with this determination.