Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral shoulder disability, respiratory condition (bronchitis and asthma), bilateral ankle disability, back disability, and neck disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The AOJ is instructed to verify dates of active duty training and inactive duty training, obtain any outstanding VA or private treatment records, and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical sympathetic nerve injury, global brain atrophy, and denied service connection for pituitary tumor rupture (including stroke). The diagnoses are related to in-service exposure to hazardous chemicals like toluene.

The Veteran's appeal is partially granted with a 30 percent rating for GERD. The remaining issues of service connection and increased rating are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral shoulder disability, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and cervical spine, left ulnar neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The issues are being remanded due to insufficient evidence on file from 1972 until 2001.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is granted, and the rating for cervical spine disability is increased to 30 percent. The claims for gastrointestinal disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, neck disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, left hand arthritis, and bilateral shoulder disability. The evidence did not meet the criteria for establishing service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck, left arm, and residuals of sun poisoning to the head and upper arms disabilities have been denied. The claim for a left foot disability is remanded.

The appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus is dismissed.,New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for a back disability and Hepatitis C, and these claims are allowed. Further assistance is needed to determine if there is a current disability related to service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability is denied as it did not manifest in service or within the applicable presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology is not established.,The appeal for service connection for right shoulder disability is remanded due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,The appeal for service connection for right ankle disability is remanded due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,The appeal for service connection for neck disability is remanded due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,Further assistance is needed to determine if there is a current disability related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance in 2014 is remanded due to insufficient medical evidence and incomplete records. The Board requires a clinical review of the Veteran's braces and capsaicin cream use, as well as additional VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, a right ankle disorder, and tinnitus.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed cervical spine and right ankle disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for cervical spine, lumbosacral spine, left hip, and right hip disabilities due to unclear opinions from Dr. W.J.T.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased rating and service connection claims related to various conditions. The Board also granted service connection for TBI with manifestations of headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder, a lumbar spine disorder with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and a right knee disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a rib injury, including arthritis secondary to broken ribs and sternum; residuals of a left knee injury with chondromalacia; and a neck disability, including residuals of a neck injury with disc and nerve damage. As such, these claims remain denied.

The Veteran's initial claims for increased ratings for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating.,The Veteran was granted TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's thoracic and cervical spine disabilities are not service-connected.,There is insufficient evidence to establish a direct link between the Veteran’s in-service motor vehicle accident and his current cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is remanded for a new VA examination and opinion. Her increased ratings for neck and shoulder disabilities are also remanded due to the need for an assessment of flare-ups.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of a cervical spine disability with right upper extremity radicular symptoms.

Service connection for degenerative intervertebral disc syndrome of the cervical spine has been reopened and granted.,Service connection for left hand disorder, migraine headache disorder, and left knee disorder have all been denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder, arm, elbow, neck, vision, hypertension, skin disorder, headaches (secondary to tinnitus), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The remand requires further development such as obtaining medical records, scheduling examinations, and making attempts to obtain a nexus between the claimed conditions and service.