Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2018

The Veteran's left shoulder disability is rated at 20 percent, and the RO has remanded for further development on his right shoulder, thoracolumbar spine, neck, and left knee disabilities. The inguinal hernia rating remains noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to new evidence added to the record and the need for VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient rationale in a previous VA examination. The examiner is requested to provide opinions on whether the Veteran's bunions and hammertoes, as well as her cervical and lumbar spine degenerative conditions, were aggravated during service or related to any incident of service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The Veteran is required to provide verification of these dates and obtain any outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's cervical spine spondylosis and degenerative disc disease were granted a 30 percent rating effective from February 4, 2016. The other conditions remained denied.

The Board has granted service connection for right shoulder acromioclavicular joint degenerative joint disease, status post distal clavicle resection. Service connection was denied for an upper/lower back disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for dizziness, insomnia, headaches, and a cervical spine disability due to potential in-service causation. The Veteran is also being asked to provide updated evidence regarding his initial compensable rating for TBI.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's headaches and cervical spine disorder are granted service connection. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disability. The case of hypertension is remanded due to the need for an opinion regarding its relationship to in-service injury, including a personal assault. The left ankle sprain rating is also remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities due to incomplete information provided by the Veteran. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to verify the Veteran's current address and resend necessary documents.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a cervical spine disability and remanded it due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability is granted. The Board finds new and material evidence has been submitted, raising the possibility of substantiating the Veteran’s service connection claim for a cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for high cholesterol, low potassium, and low calcium have been denied. The remaining issues are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an updated VA examination and compliance with DeLuca v. Brown and Mitchell v. Shinseki requirements.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, cervical radiculopathy, and mood disorder are remanded due to insufficient evidence. Additional records from SSA and NARA need to be obtained.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and right knee disability. The claim for acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, is remanded due to insufficient evidence.,Service connection for heart disability, respiratory disease (COPD), cervical spine and thoracic spine disability, right wrist disability, and bilateral ankle disability remains pending.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disorder, cervical spine disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and erectile dysfunction. Effective dates have been assigned for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,The Veteran's claim for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.

The Veteran's cervical and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, along with associated radiculopathies, have been granted increased ratings.

The Board found clear and unmistakable error in the original service connection decisions for lumbar spine, cervical spine, and headache disabilities. The appeal is denied as there was no evidence to support these conditions being related to active service.