Neck / cervical spine decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, particularly regarding their relationship to service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion and requesting tax returns from the Veteran. The issues of service connection for herniated cervical disc, earlier effective date for lumbar spine w/ bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, neck, hearing loss, tinnitus and basal cell carcinoma scar, and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for lymphadenopathy. The Veteran's varicose veins are remanded due to the need for a medical opinion, and her cervical spine disability and related radiculopathies are also remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been submitted, showing a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss. However, the claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, upper right extremity neuropathy, and upper left extremity neuropathy are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine is granted a 30 percent rating, effective May 1, 2009. Service connection for Hashimoto's thyroiditis is denied.

The Board has determined that more development is necessary before final adjudication of the claims on appeal, including scheduling VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorder (PTSD) and foot disabilities. The issues of entitlement to service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, heart disability, bilateral hearing loss, and acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), as well as whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen these claims are all remanded.

The Veteran's initial ratings for cervical and thoracic spine disabilities are granted at 10% prior to September 9, 2016, but denied higher than 10% from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss of use of a lower extremity, blindness, or full thickness burns. Therefore, he is not eligible for financial assistance for specially adapted housing.

The Veteran's claims for cervical strain and IVDS, right shoulder strain, migraines, and right ankle sprain were granted with effective dates of April 27, 2015.,However, the Board has determined that these effective dates are not appropriate due to various procedural issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to a procedural issue and now requires additional assessments of the Veteran's cervical spine disability, including any related neurological symptoms.

The Board has determined that there are pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the decisions regarding cervical condition, menstrual disorder, and lower abdomen condition. The Veteran's right wrist and hand condition also need further examination as the current VA examination is inadequate.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational background and occupational experience. Therefore, entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Veteran's GERD has been rated as noncompensable, but a higher rating of 10 percent is granted. The Veteran's cerebral aqueduct stenosis with headaches and cervical degenerative disc disease are both remanded for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability, including cervical stenosis with radiculopathy, and lumbar radiculopathy as secondary to the residuals of a compression fracture of the thoracic spine.,The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's current disabilities to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for new examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected neck disability and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development due to the need to obtain precise dates of service and determine if there is any change in previous examination conclusions based on these dates. The Veteran's claims include bilateral leg pain, cervical spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypertension.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran has a low back disability related to his service-connected cervical spine disability, as well as to assess the current severity of his neck disability. The cases are not about service connection at all.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical syndrome is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's left knee disability, nephrolithiasis, neck disability, right knee arthritis, and symptomatic residuals of a right knee meniscectomy are all granted. The Veteran is awarded a separate rating for right knee instability effective October 1, 2013.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his cervical spine disability and left axilla scar are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations.