Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for the Veteran's right wrist, cervical spine, lumbar spine, left shoulder, and right shoulder disabilities are inadequate. Additionally, a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the service connection of depression. The claims for service connection for these conditions are being remanded.

The appeals for service connection were dismissed because the Veteran passed away during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and bladder cancer. The remand requires obtaining additional medical records and providing etiological opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during active service.

The Veteran's cervical spine degenerative arthritis and PTSD and anxiety disorder have been granted service connection. The Veteran is also awarded an initial 50 percent rating for his PTSD and anxiety disorder.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of any current disabilities, including those related to a broken sternum, injury to the coccyx, injury to the cervical spine, and thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the claimed conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's chronic colitis is granted as service-connected and a rating of 20% for cervical spine strain with spondylosis and DDD is also granted.

The Veteran's right heel spur and PTSD are granted service connection, while the remaining issues related to shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, cervical strain with spasms, ring finger fracture, and pseudofolliculitis barbae are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches. The remaining issues of service connection have been remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of his right hip disability, chronic lumbar strain, and cervical spine DDD due to inadequate examination reports and lack of adequate descriptions of flare-ups.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, tinea versicolor, cervical myositis, and cervicogenic headaches are granted with effective dates of April 3, 2012. However, the Board has remanded several issues including an increased rating for PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left and right ankle disabilities, lumbar spine disability, knee disabilities, hip disabilities, foot disabilities, diabetic retinopathy, shoulder disabilities, cervical spine disability, heart disorder, and psychiatric disorders. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of any of these conditions.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to his active military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The appeal of the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed. The Board has also remanded his claims for gout, neck disability, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical neck condition, low back condition, and degenerative arthritis due to outstanding records not being associated with his electronic file.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cervical spine disability, bilateral pes planus, and left flank pain and numbness has been reopened. Service connection is granted for the cervical spine disability but denied for bilateral pes planus and left flank pain and numbness.

The Veteran's claims for secondary service connection are remanded as the VA examiners did not adequately address whether her current disabilities were caused or aggravated by her service-connected left ankle disability.,The Veteran is seeking to establish that her cervical spine, right hip, bilateral knee, and right leg (claimed as leg length inequality) disabilities are related to her service-connected left ankle disability. The Board finds the VA examiners' opinions inadequate in this regard.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if any of the Veteran's claimed conditions are related to her military service.

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence received after May 2016. The claims will be reviewed again and a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) must be issued.