Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. Service connection for hyperlipidemia, hypertension, left shoulder disability, neck disability, and foot disability is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a prostate disorder was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claim. Appeals for other conditions were denied as untimely.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, cervical spine, wrist, hip, knee, skin condition, Gulf War syndrome, and PTSD. The Veteran is asked to provide additional information about his treatment and stressors during service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's lumbar spine, right hand, cervical spine, and left knee disabilities due to a lack of evidence establishing a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right knee disability, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and psychiatric disorders. The appeals are currently pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and inadequate opinions. The Veteran is required to provide VA with any relevant medical records, including those from his in-service injury. He also needs to complete a VA Form 21-8940 regarding his employment status.

The Board has dismissed the appeals seeking increased ratings for nose fracture and headaches. The remaining issues of service connection for back, neck, and shoulder disabilities are remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims and rating determinations. The Veteran's right hand ganglion cyst claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of a right hand ganglion cyst or disabling residuals thereof other than the service-connected scar from the ganglion cyst in service.

The Board has granted service connection for a neck disability, a back disability, and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of her low back disability, as well as her cervical spine disability. The claims are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral shoulder joint pain, neck pain, and hip joint pain. The Veteran's disabilities are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, hypertension, bilateral shoulder disability, neck disability, and left knee disability have been withdrawn. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions based on the continuity of symptomatology since the in-service motor vehicle accident.

The Board has denied service connection for COPD, sleep apnea, acid reflux/GERD, arthritis (including cervical spine and lumbar spine), and joint pain (including right shoulder, right elbow, bilateral hand disorder, and bilateral hip disorder) as these conditions are not related to active service or events therein.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, requires only restricted diet and an oral glycemic agent during the period on appeal. The issues of service connection for a right shoulder disability, cervical strain, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, psychiatric disability (to include depression), initial increased evaluation for left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and TDIU are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding etiology.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, scar from heart surgery, and other conditions have been granted service connection. A 10% rating has been assigned for bilateral hearing loss as of September 11, 2018.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability, neck disability, left leg disability, right leg disability, anemia (claimed as fatigue), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and migraine headaches due to lack of a medical opinion on their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cervical spine disorder, which is currently considered service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current cervical spine disability is related to service. The examiner was asked to consider the Veteran's reports of chronic neck pain in service and his history of in-service injuries, exposure or events.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and radiculopathy of the right upper extremity, finding that there was no evidence to support these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's residuals of a fractured right collarbone and right shoulder disability are granted as service connected.,Service connection for the Veteran's neck disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence.