Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions provided by VA. The case is being sent back for further development, including obtaining additional treatment records and providing an expert medical opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection of low back disability, neck disability, and sciatic nerve condition are remanded due to insufficient evidence. Additional examinations will be required to determine the nature and etiology of these disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral shoulder disability and cervical spine disability, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions were caused by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine, bilateral knee, and tinnitus conditions were denied in a November 2013 rating decision. The Board found that new and material evidence was not received to reopen these claims, and the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 10 percent.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a bilateral shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, basal cell skin cancer, and acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased disability ratings have been denied. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Board has dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's service connection and increased rating claims due to a withdrawal request in May 2016.

The Board has vacated the part of its March 2017 decision that found the July 1993 rating action was final, and granted an effective date of March 18, 1993 for service connection of neck injury residuals.

The Board has remanded the cases due to a need for another VA examination to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his back pain since service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination to assess the Veteran's employability status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, and a rating of 10% was assigned for his left ankle strain. The effective date remains prior to October 4, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, neurocognitive disorder, left foot condition, status post right foot infection, allergic rhinitis, chronic bronchitis, degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder, degenerative joint disease of the left elbow, degenerative joint disease of the right elbow, degenerative joint disease of the left hand, degenerative joint disease of the left hip, degenerative joint disease of the right hip, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, degenerative joint disease of the right knee, degenerative joint disease of the left ankle, and degenerative joint disease of the right ankle have been reopened. The Veteran's claims for cervical spine condition and lower back condition were not reopened.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or additional service connections.

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

The claim for service connection for Meniere's disease, left ear hearing loss, cervical spine disability, left knee condition, right knee condition, TMJ, urinary incontinence, hypothyroidism, and migraine headaches is granted. The effective date of the award is not specified.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right shoulder disability and lumbar spine disability due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to July 26, 2017 was denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left hand injury, right hand injury, arthritis of cervical and lumbar spine, involuntary bowel movement, involuntary urinary discharge, burns to feet, PTSD, and diabetes mellitus. The diabetes mellitus claim was granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure in Thailand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including back pain, heart condition, hypertension, bilateral diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the feet, and several musculoskeletal disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence to support an in-service onset or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea, PTSD, right shoulder disability, cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, and bilateral knee disability due to new evidence submitted after previous denials.