Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's cervical facet arthropathy at C3-4 is granted service connection as a presumptive condition. Service connection for cervical degenerative disc disease is denied.

The Board denied service connection for occipital neuralgia and denied increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, cervical strain, migraines, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy.

The Veteran's claim for extensive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is being remanded due to the possibility that it may have been aggravated by service. The hearing loss and tinnitus claims are also being remanded as no VA examiner has provided an opinion on these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for disability of the cervical spine is reopened and granted. The appeal is remanded to obtain a VA examination to determine if the current cervical spine disability had its onset in, or is otherwise attributable to, his period of active service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left upper extremity disability, including carpal tunnel syndrome, is remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are denied as the earliest date of entitlement is April 16, 2013, which is the day following his discharge from active duty.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are denied as the earliest date of entitlement is April 16, 2013, which is the day following his discharge from active duty.

The Board denied service connection for thoracolumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, and headaches as there was no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and cervical spine disabilities are service-connected. However, due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of these conditions during service or their relationship to service, a remand is necessary for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a TBI with memory loss and an effective date prior to January 4, 2013, for the grant of a 30 percent evaluation for cervical disc disease/spondylosis with facet arthropathy was denied. The Board found that there is no competent medical evidence diagnosing the Veteran with residuals of a TBI or meeting the criteria for a 30 percent rating under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, cervical spine disability, TBI-related migraine headaches, lumbar spine disability, and endometriosis was granted with an effective date of January 2, 2014. The initial rating for the lumbar spine disability is set at 20 percent. For endometriosis, a compensable rating is assigned prior to December 31, 2014, but not since that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disorder, thoracolumbar spine disorder, upper left arm nerve disorder, and right leg nerve disorder (radiculopathy) due to lack of a VA examination. The Veteran is presumed to have suffered from these conditions during his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current cervical spine disorder is related to his service. The VA examiner will need to provide a new opinion based on all available records, including those from service and any private treatment.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of various conditions, including cervical spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, residuals of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and bilateral peripheral neuropathy. The claims were dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran’s attorney.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip and leg disorders as secondary to his chronic low back disorder, and for a cervical spine disorder are all denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support these claims.

The Board has remanded several issues including earlier effective dates, increased ratings, and service connection for various disabilities. The Veteran's child is the appellant.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected cervical spine disability. His cervical spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of her right-hand disorder (Dequervain's Tenosynovitis), cervical spine disability (muscle spasms and DDD), and eye condition. The issues include determining whether these conditions are related to service or secondary to a pre-existing condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for degenerative arthritis of the cervical and lumbar spine are granted as his symptoms were present in service and have continued since then.

The Veteran's service connection claim for DJD of the lumbar spine is granted. Claims for other conditions are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and higher rating for low back pain with radiculopathy due to incomplete development.