Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for asthma, neck disability, back disability, bilateral hip disabilities, and depression. Service connection was also denied for high cholesterol.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, sinus disability, and headache disability due to inadequate VA examination reports. The Veteran must be provided with adequate VA opinions regarding the etiology of his disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection has been reopened, but the claims for cervical spine and left upper extremity disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Meniere's disease, spondylosis of the cervical spine, right carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), left CTS, a right foot disorder, and right ankle tenosynovitis and tendinopathy were all denied as they are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective June 1, 2011, the date of his separation from service. The decision was based on his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection has been granted. The left knee scars are rated at 10 percent, right knee arthritis is rated at 10 percent, and the Veteran was granted new and material evidence to reopen his claims for service connection of various conditions including PTSD, depressive disorder, sleep apnea, gastritis, GERD, and others.

The Board denied service connection for cervical and lumbar spine arthritis, finding that the conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by service, including as secondary to a service-connected bilateral knee condition.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability, but granted service connection for degenerative arthritis and multi-level degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.

The Veteran's left knee disability is rated at 10 percent, and he meets the criteria for a TDIU prior to December 19, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate examinations and the need for addendum opinions regarding aggravation of disabilities by a service-connected right ankle disability.

The Veteran's cervical spine disability and headaches are granted as secondary to service-connected conditions. The Veteran is also granted increased ratings for his left knee meniscal degeneration, left foot sprain, and acquired psychological disability.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination, as the current evidence does not establish service connection for the claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to inadequate examinations and the need to obtain additional medical records.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date is also being remanded as it is dependent on the outcome of his other claims.

The Veteran's depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, along with right and left upper extremity radiculopathy. High cholesterol or hyperlipidemia is denied due to it being a mere laboratory finding. Service connection for hypertension and residuals of stroke are also granted, but the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for these grants remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's upper back disability is aggravated by his service-connected lumbosacral strain and/or right elbow arthritis.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service and that any pre-existing condition did not worsen during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an allergy condition and asthma have been granted, while his claim for a heart condition has been granted on the basis of presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's cervical spine disability is rated at 10 percent due to its symptoms but no greater.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for osteopenia was denied. The Board found that osteopenia alone is not a disability warranting VA compensation benefits and there was no underlying disease or injury to which the osteopenia could be related. The claims for increased ratings were remanded due to incomplete examination reports.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability and remanded the neck disability claim. The neck disability claim is now pending again, requiring issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC).