Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck disability and any neurological disability of the right upper extremity. The appeal is remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis, arthritis of the cervical spine, and arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine as there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disorder, tinnitus, and left carpal tunnel syndrome. The appeal for right carpal tunnel syndrome was also denied.

The Veteran's cervical spine disorder is granted a 20 percent rating, effective from the date of his claim. The other issues remain denied.

The Board denied service connection for cervical spine disability and granted a rating of 40 percent for nerve impairment of the right arm. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current disabilities began during service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches has been reopened, but the remand order requires additional development to address whether his migraines are related to service or aggravated by other conditions. The Veteran's cervical spine disability is also being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding its severity.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for a cervical spine condition, left knee condition, and headaches have been granted. The rating for PTSD has also been increased to 50% effective May 9, 2019.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for neck and back disabilities due to new evidence received since their previous denial. The claims are now remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The petition to reopen the previously denied claims for cervical spine, left shoulder, lumbar spine, right ankle, and left ankle disabilities were all denied. The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for allergic rhinitis was also denied.,The petition to reopen the previously denied claim of obesity secondary to service-connected hypertension was granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient opinions regarding causation and aggravation. The Veteran is seeking service connection for erectile dysfunction, cervical spine disability, right shin splints, left shin splints, and sleep apnea, all of which are secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability or other conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for back condition and remanded for further development to determine the etiology of his lumbar spine, cervical spine, bilateral knee disabilities, and asthma.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for left hip condition and bilateral hearing loss disability are denied.,Service connection for headaches is granted. The Veteran has a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder characterized as depressive disorder.,PTSD service connection is reopened due to new evidence, but the claim remains denied.,Service connection for cervical spine disorder is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding service connection for a cervical spine disorder, resulting in the dismissal of this issue.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip disability, arthritis of the right shoulder, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine post fusion, and right inguinal hernia. Service connection was denied for a respiratory disability due to herbicide agent exposure.

The claim for a higher rating for cervical spine degenerative disc disease with spinal stenosis and strain prior to March 5, 2018, and starting from June 1, 2018 is denied. The claim of entitlement to a higher rating for left upper extremity radiculopathy associated with cervical spine degenerative disc disease is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial disability rating in excess of 20 percent for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with degenerative changes, lumbar hypertrophic osteoarthritis, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The Veteran's service-connected erectile dysfunction associated with PTSD, SMC for loss of use of a creative organ, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities are also remanded.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, erectile dysfunction associated with PTSD, and SMC for loss of use of a creative organ. The Veteran's TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also remanded.,The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable disability rating for erectile dysfunction associated with PTSD, earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for erectile dysfunction associated with PTSD, and earlier effective date for SMC for loss of use of a creative organ. The Veteran's TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is also remanded.

The Veteran's request to reopen the issue of entitlement to service connection for low back disability is granted. The claim for service connection for multiple sclerosis and cervical spondylosis is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to appear for VA examinations. The Veteran will need to undergo new examinations and obtain certain records.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, cervical spine disability, and lumbar spine disability due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between the disabilities and military service.,Service connection was not granted as there is no direct evidence linking the Veteran's current disabilities to his active duty.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.