Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records from Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA disability determination(s) and associated records need to be obtained for further consideration.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for generalized anxiety disorder and left ear hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of these claims.,Service connection for a neck condition, claimed as cervical injury, and peripheral neuropathy right upper extremity have both been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical disc disease, lumbar disc disease, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. The conditions are related to an in-service injury during active duty.

The Veteran's neck disorder was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to his military duties. The Board denied the claim for service connection, but granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied reopening of a previously denied claim for service connection for myofascial pain syndrome affecting the cervical spine due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates due to lack of factual ascertainability of increased ratings within one year prior to the date of his claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has a current cervical spine disorder related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic arthritis of the joints other than cervical spine and great toes, as well as bilateral great toe disability and stroke and seizure disability is denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his service-connected hepatitis C or diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hand tremors, cervical spine condition, lumbar spine condition, and allergic rhinitis due to new evidence or further clarification of the medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the evidence is sufficient to trigger VA's duty to provide an examination and obtain an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cervical spine disability is etiologically related to military service or to another service-connected condition. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral shoulder disability, back disability, and neck disability due to service-connected knee disabilities. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's application to reopen her claim for service connection for hypertension was denied. Service connection for bilateral foot disabilities, left foot hammertoes, and arthritis of the cervical spine were granted. The issues regarding service connection for arthritis of the lumbar spine and an ear disability (to include dermatitis or eczema) are remanded.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the Veteran's cervical spine degenerative disease and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, effective August 23, 2017. The reduction from 20 to 10 percent was proper as there was sustained improvement in her condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The remaining issues were remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected rotator cuff strain of the right shoulder, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for onychomycosis (claimed as bilateral great toenail removal with arthritis) was dismissed. The Board found a clear and unmistakable error in the April 1998 rating decision that granted service connection for fibromyalgia, assigned an initial disability rating of 40 percent for fibromyalgia, and failed to assign separate disability ratings for the right shoulder disorder, costochondritis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Separate disability ratings were granted for these conditions.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for all issues related to the cervical spine, left knee, left hip, lumbar spine, right hip, left shoulder, right shoulder, and right knee disabilities. Additionally, he withdrew his claim for a TDIU prior to June 29, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral plantar fasciitis has been denied.,Claims for effective dates prior to October 5, 1990 have also been denied for service connection for left ankle strain, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, and plantar fasciitis.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of a cardiovascular disorder (chest pain and heart trouble) as moot because it was granted in full with the issuance of a February 2012 rating decision. Service connection is granted for cervical spine disorder and lumbar spine disorder, both found to have been incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the shoulders and trigeminal neuralgia, were denied. The Board found no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and her military service.