Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the cause of the Veteran's claimed cervical spine disability, and thus the case is being remanded for a new examination with a different examiner.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a cervical spine injury, and a brain injury. The effective dates for certain radiculopathy diagnoses are also being reviewed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his major depressive disorder and spinal conditions, rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of December 21, 2016.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to insufficient opinions regarding workplace limitations and functional impairment of service-connected conditions since 2008.

The Board dismissed all appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right shoulder disability, neck disability, and headache disability. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's cervical strain/neck pain is being remanded for an addendum opinion to address the etiology of his condition, including whether it is related to service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's right foot hallux rigidus and plantar fasciitis are also being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's cervical spine injury is not related to his military service.,There is no evidence that the Veteran’s sleep apnea began in or is related to his active duty service.,The preponderance of the evidence does not demonstrate a link between the Veteran’s heart disease and his service-connected psychiatric disorder.,The Veteran's stomach problems, also claimed as ulcers, did not begin during service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or illness.,There is no current diagnosis of right ear scars due to a head injury. The claim must be denied.,Residuals of the head injury do not have a link to service and were not caused by it.,The Veteran's migraines are not related to his residuals of a head injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for lumbosacral strain and cervical spine disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his active military service.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability is not related to his military service and is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's right leg meralgia paresthetica is not related to his military service and is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is less likely than not related to his service-connected disabilities, specifically diabetes and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).,The Veteran's headaches are not related to his shell fragment wound in his neck.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical spine disorder was not incurred in service, is not secondary to a service-connected disability, and does not have a direct relationship with service. The preponderance of evidence supports this conclusion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine strain, right wrist strain, left knee disability, left ankle disability, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as his claim for a TDIU prior to August 13, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) prior to January 12, 2017 was denied. A rating of 60 percent for CAD from January 12, 2017 is granted and the case is remanded for further development regarding cervical spine disability and vestibular disorder.

The Board has granted a 30% rating for the Veteran's cervical spine strain from August 25, 2016. The remaining issues of increased ratings and separate ratings for radiculopathy are remanded due to lack of recent VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for cervical and thoracolumbar spine disabilities due to incomplete records, including a lack of personnel records. The Veteran is also being asked to provide additional medical evidence and complete an application for increased compensation based on unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for Gulf War syndrome (claimed as chronic fatigue) is dismissed.,Service connection for a cervical spine disability is granted due to reopening of the claim and evidence showing it is related to service. Secondary service connection for thoracic spine disability, sleep apnea, and chronic lumbar spine disability are denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of the service connection claims for left shoulder and cervical spine disabilities before a decision was made by the Board.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to April 29, 2011. The evidence showed that the Veteran was able to work as an electrical engineer and consultant until January 2009, despite some physical impairments.

The Veteran's cervical spine condition was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran has not had a low back disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The Veteran’s right hip disability did not begin during active service and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran’s left hip disability did not begin during active service and is not otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran has not had a bilateral eye disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.,The Veteran's hypertension was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for low back strain, cervical spondylosis, and bilateral patellofemoral syndrome are being remanded due to the need for new medical examinations to assess the current severity of his conditions.