Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection and a 50% rating for migraines is granted. The Veteran's cervical spine disorder remains in dispute.,Service connection for the Veteran's cervical spine disorder is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for cervical and lumbar spine disorders, finding that the current conditions were not related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability and right lower extremity radiculopathy due to insufficient examination findings, necessitating further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, cervical spine disorder, and thoracolumbar spine disorder due to a lack of VA examination records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities are related to his military service, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's former position as a computer programmer with an Associate degree education level is no longer suitable due to excessive absences from work and school caused by service-connected migraine headaches. The decision grants reentrance into the VR&E program.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for cervical spine disability, secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's appeal was previously denied due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the cervical spine disability is related to his service-connected lumbar spine condition.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection is granted for a lower back condition and associated neurological abnormalities.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence. The hearing loss and coronary artery disease cases are denied as they do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for increased ratings due to new evidence of worsening symptoms, and requests authorization from the Veteran to obtain private treatment records related to his disabilities. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to assess the current severity of his lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left knee disability, left carpal tunnel syndrome, and right carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a cervical spine disability, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for Tourette syndrome and cervical spine disorder, but denied them on the merits. The claim for Tourette syndrome is remanded to obtain an opinion regarding whether it pre-existed service or was aggravated by service. The claim for cervical spine disorder is also remanded to obtain a medical opinion regarding its relationship to service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted. The skin disorder claim is remanded for additional development.

The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder strain, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the period July 1, 2013 to October 14, 2013, and December 1, 2013 to June 5, 2014.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for low back and neck disabilities due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran's current disabilities are believed to be related to an in-service fall from a helicopter, but further examination is needed to determine causation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to incomplete information regarding his National Guard service, inadequate medical opinions on the nature of his conditions, and potential issues with prior rating decisions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability due to new evidence of mild degenerative changes. However, the claim must be remanded as an adequate medical opinion is needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current cervical spine disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating determinations related to his eye disability, migraine headaches, knee disabilities, and cervical spine arthritis due to incomplete development of records and need for further medical examination.

The Board has denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, heart disability, and cervical spine disability. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and erectile dysfunction disabilities. The Board found no current disability in any of these areas and insufficient evidence to link them to service or a service-connected condition.